High School Life
by Jester Fraser
Summary: Modern Times, A/U. Christian Adams has moved to a desert from the cool, green british aisles. While in the Land of Enchantment, he finds love, but will love reply? Will he get the girl, Satine?
1. Default Chapter

**High School Life**

Disclaimer: Moulin Rouge isn't mine, it's the saddest thing in the world, I know. But hey, if it was mine, then I'd be dining with Brendan Fraser and his wife, Jude Law and his wife and, of course, Ewan McGregor and his wife, and Rachel Weisz about once a month while listening to Michael Buble sing "Kissing a Fool" and "For Once in My Life". *sigh* I love that man's singing voice, and he looks a little like Elvis.

Summary: Well, this is an A/U. Take the Moulin Rouge! Characters and put them in high school 2003 oh, and it's in the Desert, the desert of New Mexico (my great home!) Here is my A/U fic for Moulin Rouge!

~~Begin Chapter~~

Christian Adams gulped a bit as he stood in front of his new school. He had just move to Albuquerque, New Mexico from London, England. He didn't know the reason exactly, the London Tourist board just told his father to go there. Like the reason he had moved so many times before. He usually lived in London for better education purposes while his parents lived in Europe, but he couldn't stay there this time. Noooo, his father had to make him go to America. Why? Why America, why not Japan or Holland, or France? What were the people going to say to him? Going into a brown skin high school with a posh English accent that sometimes drifted in a deep Scottish accent that was barely understandable, what were they going to say? Were they going to make fun of him and laugh? Were the Hispanics going to say shit about him in Spanish?

"Go on, Christian, it's not going to kill you!" his mother prodded. "I have to go home and tend to your sick little brother. Have a good first day at school. Ooh, this is so exciting!"

His mother rushed back to the new SUV and drove off…in the wrong lane, she barely swung back into the right lane and missed an accident.

Christian heard some snickers near the door of La Cueva High School. He looked in the direction to see a group of dark Hispanic-Indian boys having a good time smoking and laughing at the antics of the white woman's stupidity.

"Hey, amigo, was that your mother?" one of the boys asked in a mix of a reservation and Hispanic accent that Christian didn't understand at first.

"What?" He asked in his English accent. The boy laughed and spread his arms apart as if he had just discovered something. He rolled his eyes as he turned back to his amigos.

"There we go, amigos, the reason to the chiniidii's antics on the road," the boy said. The others laughed. Christian just ignored them as he opened the red doors into the cooler high school building.

Before him he saw a statue of a bear and a plate saying "La Cueva High School, home of the Bears." He looked the bear up and down, it didn't seem so fierce. Then an idea for a story formulated in his mind about a bear. Amazing where inspiration can be found these days.

Christian searched around for the administration office, finally finding it just down another hall. He walked in and met the attendant.

"Uh, hello, I'm a new student from England," Christian said.

Without looking up the attendant, Mrs. Watkins but the name clip, said, "What's your name again?"

"Chr-Christain Adams, ma'am," Christian said. Mrs. Watkins typed a few things in her computer.

"Ah, here you are, Mr. Adams. Coming all the way from the U.K. eh? Well, I'm sure you'll find Albuquerque very different but very interesting," she said. She handed him a form. "Please fill that out and then stand of there for your picture I.D."

"Picture I.D.?" Christian asked. Mrs. Watkins nodded.

"Yes, Mr. Adams, here in La Cueva High School we have picture I.D.s for checking out books from the library and buying the school lunches," Mrs. Watkins said. Christian filled out the form and handed it to Mrs. Watkins then stood where she had pointed to earlier. Mrs. Watkins got a digital camera and focused it, "Now smile."

Christian smiled a very charming and sexy smile. Mrs. Watkins took the picture, a huge flash and then it was over. She walked over to her computer and hooked the camera to her computer and brought up the picture. She did a few things and printed it out.

"You'll have to wait another day or two for it to be completely finished," Mrs. Watkins said. She handed Christian a small card, "This is your schedule. The classes shouldn't be too hard to find. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask for help from the teachers or fellow students. You'll find, Mr. Adams, that people here aren't as uptight as some people in England."

"Only some people aren't," Christian muttered to himself. He walked out of the office and walked around holding his card. He bumped into someone on the way, rather, he tripped over them. "Oof! Ow, sorry, I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No, it's no problem, I get tripped over a lot," said a French accent with a wisp. Christian looked at the person he tripped over. It was a short, nearly just four foot munchkin.

"I really am sorry," Christian said as he picked up his things. "You don't seem to have the same accent as everyone else here."

"No, I'm new, from France," he said. "My name is Henri Raymond Toulouse Le Trec Monfa, and you are?"

"Christian Adams, new from England," Christian said shaking Henri's hand.

"You can just call me Toulouse," he said. Christian nodded.

"So what classes have you got?" Christian asked. Toulouse took out his card with the schedule. "I have Zero Hour with Major Barkins, R.O.T.C. at…six thirty…then first hour is Art with Mrs. Deutch, then I have Trigonometry with Mrs. Eubanks. I have study hall third period. Then there's English with Mr. McDermott, Orchestra with Mrs. Lennon, and then my last class is World History with Mrs. Van Antwerp."

"Oh, it seems we'll have Zero Hour together, and Trig together," Christian said. "I guess then we can help each other out getting accustom to America."

"Yes, well, I'm off to Art, my favorite class, I just love to paint," Toulouse said.

"I'm off to Writing class, I'm a writer of sorts, mostly fanfiction but I've done a few short stories and I'm writing two real novels now," Christian said, "Well, at least trying to."

"That's interesting," Toulouse said. "What do you plan to write about?"

"Truth, Freedom, Beauty, but above all things, Love," Christian said.

"Then you'll have no problem writing about that here," came a hard female voice. Christian and Toulouse turned to see a tall girl. She had brown hair and brown eyes and wore baggy clothes. An orange T-shirt with a Nike mark on it and baggy dark blue shorts and Nike sneakers, she carried a dark green side bag and wore a black cap that looked like it came from the 1920's working class. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt, I just had to say that because they call New Mexico the Land of Enchantment for nothin'."

She seemed to have a regular voice, not very Hispanic sounding and a little to bit of a Rez accent.

"Who are you?" Christian asked. She stretched out her hand to shake.

"Stephanie Melissa Law, pleased to make your acquaintance," she said in what now sounded as a Scottish accent though not too thick. Christian shook her hand.

"Christian Adams, pleased to make yours," he said in a Scottish accent as well.

"My name is Henri Raymond Toulouse Le Trec Monfa," Toulouse said shaking her hand as well. "You may call me Toulouse for short."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Monsieur Toulouse," Stephanie said laughing a bit. "And you may call my Nny."

"Nny?" Christian repeated. Nny nodded.

"Short for Stephanie, see Steph-ah-NNY" she explained. 

"Ah, I see," Christian said.

"The Land of Enchantment is a perfect place to be enchanted to write and to paint," Nny said. "Artistic skills seem to thrive here. Well, I have to go to Writing class now, tata."

"Wait, I'll accompany you," Christian said. 

"Cool, let's go, we don't want to be late, Mr. Rodriguez can be strict about tardiness!" Nny said as she sprinted down the halls. "See you later, Toulouse!"

"Au Revoir!" Toulouse shouted as he walked on.

~~

"Tell me again, Nny, why I am doing this," Satine said as she stood in the rafters of the gym with a sing in hand and Nny right next to her. Nny put her face near Satine.

"Because I am paying you fifty dollars and I double dog dared you to do this," Nny whispered. "And if you don't do this, I'm going to kill you."

Satine sighed, "I've known you since elementary school and you're still threatening my life!" 

"Yes, I threaten everyone's life, don't be afraid," Nny said. She looked down at the crowd of seniors and juniors all taking their free hour in fourth period in the gym since it was a closed campus. She searched the crowd and saw who she was looking for and few other people. Nny helped Satine onto the swing and steadied it as she continued, "Besides, it's been our job to entertain the crowd for sometime now." She turned around, "Harry, are you ready?"

"Ready to rock 'n' roll!" Harold Zidler whispered back. Nny nodded.

"Nini, ready for your opening?" Nny asked. Nini, a beautiful Hispanic-Indian nodded. "Alright, good, Harry, go…now…"

"Can you can cancan?" Harry shouted from the balcony in the gym. Everyone turned to him and all the boys immediately grinned, they knew what was going to happen and all the girls cringed as they got up and went to the other side of the gym.

"Can you can cancan?" Harry shouted again.

"Yes we can cancan!" the boys shouted.

"Don't say you can't can't can't! you know you can cancan!" Harry shouted. Then he started singing in a loud tenor, "If life's an awful bore, and living's just a chore that we do, cause death's not much fun, I've just the antidote, and though I mustn't gloat, at the La Cueva Gym, you'll have! So scratch that little niggle, have a little wiggle! La Cueva Gym's the place to be!"

"Voulez-vous coucher avec mo ice soir!" All these beautiful girls streamed into the gym. "Hey sista, go sista flow sista!"

As Harold continued the number and the men were entertained, Christian Adams was horrified! Is this what Americans did during their free time?! He stayed near the three new friends he had made, Juarez an Argentinean who was Narcoleptic; Doc, an older guy who had dropped out but decided to continue his education fifteen years later; and Satie and member of the band who could play an instrument but had favor on the piano and flute. 

"What's going on?" Christian asked.

"Every year for the last four years, there has been something like this happening," Doc explained. "It's a time when these girls dress like whores and tempt all the guys in the school. We like to call it our own Moulin Rouge, based on the Moulin Rouge in Montmarte near Paris."

"Who organizes it?" Christian asked.

"Stephanie Law, she organized it after doing research for Paris in a history class in ninth grade, now with the help of Harold Zidler, that man up there, she organizes this whole thing. There's going to be another show after school if possible," Juarez said.

"Is she a dancer as well?!" Christian said in surprise. He didn't think Nny to be that type of person, she wasn't exactly beautiful and she didn't seem as someone who'd dress in a corset and dance to men.

"God no!" Juarez said. "She just organizes it and makes it as it is! She's a really good designer you know!"

"Wow," Christian said as he looked around.

"Christian! Christian! I see you've made it to the show!" yelled a familiar voice. Christian turned around and saw Toulouse.

"Toulouse, what're you doing here? I thought you free hour was last," Christian said.

"They didn't do this last hour, so I decided to ditch this hour and check it out!" Toulouse said. I had heard music from my  English class and I slipped out to see what it was. It reminds me of home!"

Suddenly Harold's echoing voice died down and as did the lights. Sparkling pieces of paper floated down from the ceiling. Down on the ground right under the spotlight stood a few people dressed as jesters and clowns and they held a rope and was letting it go slowly upwards. And down from the ceiling came a beautiful porcelain skin red haired goddess.

Christian gasped at her beauty, it was unbelievable. Her beautiful red hair pulled back and she wore a top hat. She wore a glittering small costume that barley went to her shapely thighs. She had piercing ice-blue eyes and full red beautiful lips that any girl would envy.

"The French are glad to die, for love," she sang in a beautiful voice. "They delight in fighting duels. But I prefer a man who lives, and gives expensive…jewels."

Nny grinned, she was going to like swing her best friend around. Nny held the rope and started to dash around on the rafters and swung Satine around. Then slowly came to a halt as the jesters and clowns helped her off.

"A kiss on the hand maybe, quite monumental, but diamonds are a girl's best friend!" Satine sang. As she sang and as Christian was entranced by her beauty Nny dashed over to Harold.

"Harold, is everything ready?" Nny asked. Harold nodded.

"Everything is ready to go," he said.

"I'll stand watch of the door, I don't want any principals or teachers ruining my party!" Nny said as she went over to the door.

"Talk to me Harry Zidler tell me all about it!" Satine was thrown onto a stage with Harry Zidler. "There may come a time when a lass needs a lawyer!"

"But diamonds are a girl's best friend," Harry Zidler sang as he pulled out some diamonds, real diamonds he had taken off the hand of a pawn shop dealer.

"There may come a time when a hard boiled employer thinks you're awful nice, oh!" Satine looked insulted as Zidler looked as if he had grabbed and squeezed her bottom. "But get that ice or else no dice!"

"And no dice here!" came a loud voice as the music died down. There near the door stood a tall man, the Principle, Mr. Duke, with an unconscious Nny laying near the door.

"What did you do to Nny?!" Satine yelled as she hurried to Nny's side. She picked up Nny's head and slapped her cheeks lightly. Nny moaned a little as her eyes partially opened.

"Just five more minutes, please," she said. "I want to sleep…"

Christian rushed in by her side as well, "Nny? Nny, what happened?"

"As she was looking over your way, Ms. Satine, I opened the door and she got hit on the head," Mr. Duke said. "Next time you should keep your little faggot friend away from the doors."

"Excuse me?!" Satine said. "One, my friend is not a 'faggot' as you said, and Two that was completely rude to call her that! You go against your own rules of discrimination! And she is not a homosexual!"

"Stand down," Mr. Duke yelled. "Or you'll be expelled!"

"You should stand down, Mr. Duke," came another voice. A man stepped in the gym wearing a marine uniform. He had a firm face and strong build. He had shaved his head as they do in the Marines. 

"Major Barkins, you have no say in this," Mr. Duke said.

"I do when someone is out of line with rules, and you, Mr. Duke are out of line with the APS policy rules of discrimination," Major Barkins said. He stooped down and picked up Nny who was starting to regain consciousness. "I would think it pretty hard for you not to notice Ms. Law standing in front of the door, so I'd think you had purposefully hit her in the head with something else. She would've heard the door opening."

"Major Barkins, you are not on the administrative staff you are just a teacher, I'd advise you stand down and not argue with me or I'll have you fired," Mr. Duke said.

"You-you can't…fire him, Mr. Duke," Nny said as she held her head. "He's the reason we have the best Junior R.O.T.C. in the city! La Cueva takes most pride on it's Rifle and Drill team, so I'd suggest you follow Major Barkins advice and stand down!"

"Talking back to the principal?! That's a detention for you!" Mr. Duke said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to take care of with the district attendant!"

Mr. Duke brushed past Major Barkins giving him a mean glare. Major Barkins just looked forward and when the principle left he stepped farther into the gym.

"Alright, break this up now," he barked. "Break it up now, class ends in five minutes, I'm going to be back in that time and I expect for everything to be cleaned up here!" The Major turned to Nny, "Great work on the sets again, Nny, but I still expect it to be cleared out in five minutes."

"Yes, sir," Nny said. Christian was helping to keep Nny standing up. Major Barkins left and Nny limped over to the benches and sat down. "You heard the man, you scurvy scum of the underworld, clean up!"

Everyone started to clean then. Satine sat next to Nny, "Nny, who is that?"

Satine pointed to Christian. Nny grinned, "His name's Christian, he's from England."

"Wow, a fellow Englander," Satine said. Nny nudged her. "What?"

"I think you and he should get together," Nny said. Satine shook her head.

"No, no, no! I've done enough with boys! Besides why would he want to go out with me? After being here another day he'll probably have heard all the horrible rumors about me. Besides, I've had enough of breaking my heart! Love isn't on my agenda," Satine said. "I'd prefer to stay dedicated to my career plans!"

"Aww, that's just you, Sats," Nny said as she pressed a tissue to her bloodied nose. "Just pushing love away, but you'd see that that's what makes you sad. Not having love, it's a saddening thing."

"No, it's a good thing, then I can stay dedicated to my career," Satine said.

"Be that way," Nny said. "As long as you'll still help me to the nurse's office."

"oh, yes, of course!" Satine helped Nny stand up and walked her to the nurse's office.

~~

"Who was that?" Christian asked Satie as they walked to Band.

"Who?" Satie asked.

"That girl, that one who sang Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Frind," Christian said.

"oh, that's Satine, she's the Sparkling Diamond of La Cueva. There are a lot of bad rumors about her, mostly spread by the girl's who envy her. She's beautiful isn't she? She's really nice to, but very quiet usually. She mainly likes to stick with Nny and mainly talks to her."

"Why?"

"Well, when Satine first moved here from England in fourth grade everyone was mean to her except for Nny. Nny introduced her to me, and Juarez," Satie said. "And then one day, a mean bitch named Brenda came up to Satine and insulted her. This really got Nny pissed off so she nail Brenda and put her in the hospital for a week with a concussion and fat lip and broken rib."

"Whoa, Nny is protective of her friends isn't she?" Christian said.

"Yes, she's a very protective person," Satie said. 

"I want to meet Satine," Christian said eagerly. "She's so beautiful…"

"Yes, but she may not want to meet you," Satie said.

"Why not?" Christian asked.

"Well, Satine, she's had too many brushes with love and lost," Satie said. "I don't think she's willing for it again."

"Oh," Christian mumbled as they entered the band room.

~~End Chapter~~

Thoughts and inspiration. Next chapter won't come out until I actually go to La Cueva! (I think it mean den of bears or something like that…) Yes, La Cueva is an actual High School in the real Albuquerque, New Mexico (Yes, it's still in the U.S. of A. just west of Texas and east Arizona, south of Colorado and north of (old) Mexico.) And I will be attending that school, since it is one of the best in New Mexico (I can only stand going to one of the best…I went to the best Elementary School, and Middle School in New Mexico!) 

I really do love New Mexico, so I decided to have this take place in the Land of Enchantment, I just love deserts. I probably wouldn't really be able to stand living in England and Scotland (coldness, no no no no!!) and all the green, I'd prefer the sand and red, and browns thank you! What place is more beautiful (besides Israel) in the world than a desert? I love deserts, the sunset in a desert is the most beautiful thing in the world to me! I love to watch the mountains at sunset though. Oh Ra, the mountains! Yes, the monzano mountains look like watermelons at sunset. The red sand of the mountains dotted by the dark bushes and trees, it's so beautiful. Sure, Scotland and England are beautiful emeralds onto their own, but nothing can really compare to a desert. Deserts are just wonderful! 

The main reason I love deserts though, is because nothing is as it seems. By day, the desert is a horrid wasteland, hot and dry nearly incapable of supporting life. But by night, it's a cool party. I mean, the animals come out, the sands are turned from a golden spot on Earth to silver sands with the cactuses even blooming a bit! Turtles, hares, rodents, bats, coyotes, wolves all the animals come out at night. Above the desert is a rich blanket of stars, everyone visible (if not in a city) and so beautiful! 

Well enough of my ramblings about the great desert (New Mexico, Land of Enchantment!) and I'll close up. Hope you like it so far. Not much of the plot is really revealed but I think you know what it may be. But I'm just going to think more on it as I work along.

Jester


	2. Chapter TwoGetting to know Wendy's

**High School Life**

Disclaimer: Eh, the one from the first chapter will account for the rest of the chapters. I'm too lazy to copy and paste it so…Hahaha

~~Begin Chapter~~

"Does band always start this late?" Christian asked Satie as they took a seat in the flute section. Christian was getting some stares from the Trumpet section boys who were looking at him and whispering. Christian noticed their staring and tried to avoid it but then he saw Nny up there. 

Nny walked down and joined them at the corner, "Hello, mates."

"Hey, Nny," Satie and Christian said.

"Why are they all staring at me?" Christian asked.

"Because you're the only boy, besides Satie to be playing a flute," Nny said with a bit of a chuckle.

"Is that bad?" Christian asked.

"Only to them," Nny said. "The stupid bastards, think that any guy who plays a 'feminine' instrument is a homo or bi."

"I'm not a homo and I'm not bi!" Christian said a little indignantly. Nny calmed him down.

"Shut-it, Christian, I know," Nny said. "Don't let them get to you, they're just assholes anyway. As most men on the football team are…"

"Hey S-chan, are you playing flute today then?" a girl asked as she entered the band room. She was shorter than Nny, but every bit as spunky. She had brownish-blonde hair and dark skin and grey-blue-silverish eyes. She carried her books in one arm and in her other was a large trumpet case.

"Yeah, I think I will today, M-chan, just to keep Christian company," Nny said. "Oh and this is Christian Adams, he's new to the school."

"Oh, another human enters the prison," M-chan said jokingly. "A flute player too eh? Well, don't worry about those damned trumpets, I'll keep them in line."

"Good luck," Nny said. Finally, fifteen minutes after the bell rang the band teacher stepped into the room and everyone quieted down. 

"Good morning, class," he said with a calm air about him.

"Good morning, Mr. Mattern," a few said in return.

"Ah, such a lively bunch we have this morning," Mr. Mattern said sarcastically. He looked over the class room and stopped at Christian. "Who are you?"

"Christian Adams, I'm new," Christian said.

"Oh, another victim thrown in the pack I see," Mr. Mattern said. "Where are you from?"

"England, sir," Christian said.

"Sir? Heh, I like this guy," Mr. Mattern said as he wrote some things down. He looked over at Nny. "I thought you were going to play Trumpet today, Ms.  Law-less."

"I changed my mind, someone oughta keep the poor boy company," she said gesturing to Christian. Mr. Mattern nodded.

Mr. Mattern pulled out something from his pocket, it was a rusty old coin that had some faded engravings on it and he said, "Bought this for a dollar at the flea market down town. I said to guy I said, 'Hey, this looks old. What is it?' and he said, 'I don't know, just found buried in the ground on my trip to Germany.' I said, 'I'll be this off of you for double price.' He said, 'Hey, it's your money, your loss.' So I give him the dollar I take the coin put in my pocket, take my Thunderbird and drive over to my friend's work. My friend's a historian and I show him the coin and say, 'what's this? It looks old.' He takes it puts it under his microscope and looks up at me all surprised and the like and says, 'Where the hell did you get this?' I say, 'bought it for a dollar at the flea market down town.' He laughed and said, 'you, my friend have met the biggest idiot in the world! This is old Nazi medallions from the year 1939! These are worth around five million Euros!' I go, 'shit! I just ripped off the biggest idiot in the world!' So now, I'm sending this in and I'm going to get rich and retire and then my wife and I can be hand in hand running through a sunlit meadow like those paradise commercials."

Christian looked wowed and said, "Seriously?"

Mr. Mattern grinned as he looked at him and shook his head, "No, I bought this for a buck, it's just an old rusted oversized penny from 1943."

Everyone laughed, they were used to Mr. Mattern's jokes and rarely ever laughed but this time they did because the newbie fell for it. Christian blushed a little and sunk into his chair.

"Don't look so embarrassed, Christian," Nny said to him quietly. "Mr. Mattern does that to every newbie in the class."

"Newbie?" Christian repeated. Nny nodded.

"It's what we call the new comers to our school," Nny explained. "Mr. Mattern's a cool teacher, don't need to worry much about anything. Always got a good history lesson or joke up his sleeve to lighten any occasion."

"What'd he say for 9-11?" Christian asked over the laughter. Mr. Mattern heard him.

"Well, now this is actually true story," Mr. Mattern said. "I just finished watching news and stepped out side to go to work I look across the street to my neighbour and shouted, 'Hey what do you think of all this?' He said, 'I think it's great! It's a beautiful day so far!' Turns out, my neighbour hadn't watched the news yet!"

The laughter died down after a while Mr. Mattern raised his arms ready to conduct, in a whisper he said, "Under the sea."

Everyone quickly got out the piece and put their instruments to their mouths and then Mr. Mattern started to conduct.

After Band class Nny, M-chan, Satie and Christian walked out of class together. Nny said, "So, Christian, what's your next class?"

Christian took out his card and said, English with Mr. McDermott," Christian said. Nny and M-chan nodded.

"Cool," Nny said, "M-chan and I will be in that too. See you later Satie!"

Nny waved to Satie as he walked off to World History. They went up to the second floor and down the hall and entered the last door to the left in between the rows of lockers. They made it to their seats just before the bell rang.

"Always near on time, as usual, Ms. Law and Ms. Johnson," Mr. McDermott said as he stepped up front of the class.

"Eh, as usual, Mr. McDermott we run from Band class, only this time we bring a newbie," M-chan gestured to Christian who sat in between the two. 

"And who are you?' Mr. McDermott asked.

"Christian Adams," Christian said. Mr. McDermott.

"Where you come from, Chris?" McDermott asked as he leaned forward on his podeium.

"London, sir," Christian said a little nervously.

"Ah, explains the accent," McDermott said as he took out his seating chart and wrote in Christian's name in between Nny and M-chan. Suddenly, a very out of breath looking Satine came to the door. "Late again, Ms. Satine…"

"I know, sorry, I was in the principle's office," Satine said. She took her seat at the table next to Nny. The tables were put side to side and in rows, so Satine was right next to Nny.

"What'd you do this time?" McDermott asked as he marked Satine's tardy.

"Eh, ask Nny that question," Satine muttered. McDermott clicked his pen and then pointed at Christian.

"Ms. Satine, meet Mr. Adams, he comes to us from England," McDermott said then he got out his Teacher's Book. "Alright get out the assignment from last Friday."

"Hey, Nny," Satine said, "I think the councelor wanted you there too…"

Nny surpressed an evil cackle, "nahaha! Well, I didn't want to face Mr. Berry the Cherry today, I didn't feel like be interrogated for why I'm so 'suicidal' and 'homicidal' I think that he's beginning to think I'm gay…"

"And the answer to number five is, Ms. Law?" McDermott's loud voice finally came over their conversation. Nny looked surprised, she didn't even have her paper out!

"Oh, er…two?" Nny took a stab at the guess.

"Ms. Law, if I wanted to know your math assignment answer, then I would've asked you two periods ago, but I want to know you literature assignment answer! Do you even have it today?" 

"Uh, yeah I should…somewhere," Nny started to rummage through her bag that had bunches of paper mostly full of drawings. She went paper through paper, "drawing, drawing, math…so that's where my Trig homework went…drawing, story, drawing, pastel landscape, drawing, story, drawing, drawing, last months Trig test, drawing, drawing, Trig text book…so that's where it went…drawing, drawing, drawing, drawing, draw-oh no, this is it!" She beamed as she showed McDermott her assignment that was bordered by drawings.

"And the answer is?" McDermott asked.

"B," she said. McDermott nodded.

"I suggest, Ms. Law, that you keep your drawings at home, or in a different folder from your schoolwork, and you desist from drawing on your homework, half of those great drawings you tossed were lost English and Trig assignments," McDermott motioned to the pile of papers on the desk of the student behind her.

"Oh, sorry, mate," Nny said as she cleared the drawings from his desk and stuffed them back into her bag in absolute disarray. Satine chuckled and so did Christian. M-chan rolled her eyes, so typical of her friend to do that, just completely ignore the advice given by the teacher.

"Might want to try to put some order in that, eh, S-chan?" M-chan asked. Nny nodded.

"I guess you're right, M-chan!" S-chan attempted some order but ultimately failed.

"Why don't you do it later?" McDermott asked. "When we're not so busy with grading an assignment and trying to learn?"

"No, order must be made now…"

"S-chan, try it later," M-chan said. Nny nodded.

"Alright," and she just abandoned her bag. McDermott had a look of utter confusion, but he decided not to bother.

As the assignment continued to be corrected, Christian found himself glancing over at Satine more than once or twice. Nny kept leaning back talking to M-chan about her latest fanfiction and insisting that M-chan update her story soon.

"Ms. Law, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" McDermott finally asked.

"Uh, yeah, there will be repeat of our earlier cancelled show at, now get this The Pit! Yes, buy your tickets at the door for full price, or, do my homework and get in for free!" Nny said. "Yes, amazing isn't it? I got the show to the Pit! Come to Moulin Rouge night at the Pit! Tickets on sale now, for half price, $3.50, full sale at the door for five dollars and free if you do my homework, M-chan's homework-" Nny pointed to M-chan and then to Satine, "Or Satine's homework!"

All the guys wooted and cheered. McDermott settled them down, "Shut-up, everyone! Ms. Law, next time, wait till like after school or something…"

Nny just then pointed to the bell as it rang, "I was close enough beside, you asked!" 

Then she grabbed her bags and leapt out of there. 

"Is she always like that?" Christian asked M-chan and Satine as they left. They both nodded.

"yes, it's really cool, because she completely delays McDermott's plans for the day so we end up_ not having homework!" M-chan said happily. Christian just nodded as the continued walking outside of school. Nny walked up to them._

"Hey! Did McDermott blow a casket again or did you leave too early to find out?" Nny asked. M-chan and them just shrugged. "So M-chan, Sats, and Christian, wanna ride home with me? We can stop by a Wendys and get something to eat for lunch."

"But lunch was just two hours ago," Christian said. "Didn't you eat?"

The three girls exchanged looks then almost fell over with laughter. Christian had a puzzled look on his face. What was so funny? Then Nny patted Christian on the shoulder, "That, hehehe, was a good one, mate. Hahahaha! Eat the school lunch, no chance in hell!"

"Honestly, I'm sure you don't mean that," Christian said. They all stopped laughing at him and stared. "What?"

"D-did you, ick, did you eat the school lunch?!" Satine asked. Christian nodded.

"Oh my god! How are you still feeling well??" Satine gasped. "Last person to eat the school lunch got food poisoning!!"

"Well, I only drank the milk and some of the potatoes, but that was it," Christian cleared up. They all sighed.

"Oh, for a moment we thought you had eaten the chicken then we would've had to run you to the hospital!" Satine said. "Always wait until after school to get lunch, Christian. Then we can get something good like McDonald's or Wendy's."

"What's Wendy's?" Christian asked. Nny went pale.

"Don't you know what Wendy's is???" Nny asked. "Don't they have Weny's in England?!?!"

Christian shook his head, "No they don't…"

Nny grabbed his collar and shook him, "What kind of country is England?!?! NO WENDY'S?!?! HOW DO YOU LIVE??!?!??!"

"aaah!!" Christian got shook up by Nny as she kept shaking him by the collar. M-chan grabbed Nny and pulled her back as Satine undid Nny's grasp on Christian's shirt.

"Nny, calm down!!" Satine said. Christian's eyes were huge as he stayed behind Satine.

"What the heck was that?" Christian asked.

"Oh, Nny is obsessed with Wendy's, it's her favorite restaurant," Satine explained. Christian nodded as he straightened up his shirt. 

Christian all of a sudden had the sudden urge to just kiss Satine, but he fought it. He was so close, but he didn't want to just be a total caveman. He had to woo Satine as best he could. So he fought the urge, he wasn't letting his libido take charge.

"S-chan, calm down! CALM!" M-chan yelled as she held Nny at the shoulders. Nny calmed down.

"Alright, alright, I'm calm!! I'm calm!!" Nny said loudly. M-chan gave her a look and Nny shrank back, "Okay…I'm calm…"

Nny turned to Christian and grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to her car, Satine and M-chan following, "If you have never tasted Wendy's, then you are deprived, so I shall make you eat some!"

Nny threw him in the back and got in the driver's seat. M-chan and Satine were fighting over who's turn it was to sit in the front. Nny was growing impatient and just yelled, "Christian get in the front, you two get in the back or you'll get left here!"

"But, Nny," Christian said, "I have to tell my mom where I'm going."

Nny seemed to take a death grip on the steering wheel, they could've sworn they say a vein pop out on her forhead, "Fine! We'll go find your mother and tell her where you're going! Now get in!"

Nny grabbed him and pulled him in the car and drove off through the parking lot as Christian searched for his mother's car. 

"There she is!" Christian pointed to a small silver car parked in the fire parking lane. Nny drove up to it. "Mum, oy, mum!"

The woman in the driver's seat on left side turned to him and then smiled, "Oh, hello Christian! I was wondering where you were! Who're your friends?"

"This Nny," Christian jerked a thumb to the driver then pointed to the two in the back. "That's Satine and the one behind Nny is M-chan. We're going over to Wendy's to eat something, Nny'll drop me off at home so don't you worry over it."

"Alright then, be safe," she said. Christian nodded.

"I will," he said then he put his head back in from the window and Nny shot off through the parking lot and out onto the street.

"The nearest Wendy's is on…Eubank and Montgomery, alright ladies, hold onto to your briches, I'm about to get some tickets," Nny grinned evilly as she pounded the gas pedal and shot off onto Paso del Norte and headed towards Eubank. She jerked a quick right onto Eubank, heading south. 

"Oh my god!" Christian gasped. "Do you always drive like this?!"

"No, she's usually a good driver, but when something like this occurs, or she's really hungry, she'll drive like a maniac," Satine said as she put her head near Christian's ear so he could hear her over the wind in the window.

"Oh," Christian said as he stuck his arm out the window and challenged the wind's force. Sudden the car to a sudden stop at Academy. Everyone was lurched forward and then thrown back. "Oh, thank god I didn't eat much…"

"Haha!" M-chan laughed. "Whoa, just in time, too, S-chan look!"

Nny looked where M-chan pointed and saw a Police car drive up to a stop across the street. Nny sighed, "Yeah, what luck!"

Then the light turned green and Nny went forward at speed limit, then when out of range of the Police patrol she sped up to fifty mph in a 35 mph zone, then the school zone came but luckily, school didn't get out until 3:45 PM for the elementary schools. Finally, they turned at Montgomery and then turned again into the Wendy's parking lot and parked in the sun since there was no shad to park in. They filed out and went into the Wendy's.

"Oh, hey, Nny!" the cashier said. She was shorter than Nny but much more beautiful. She had short brown hair and a nice features, though she looked similar to Winona Ryder.

"Hey Emily, I didn't know you worked here," Nny said. Emily twirled a bit showing off the green and black uniform of Wendy's. "Kewl, so you'll give us free lunches right??"

Emily laughed, "No! You wanna eat, you pay!"

"Aww, that's not fair, why do you get free lunches and we don't?" Nny playfully pouted.

"Just order!" Emily ordered.

"Haha, okay now memorize this because this is what I always get, Junior Cheeseburger ketchup only medium fries and small frosty," Nny said. Emily punched in the order then looked up at the others. 

"Bacon Cheeseburger, medium frosty," M-chan said.

"I'll just have was Nny's having," Satine said. Christian looked up at the menu not sure what to order. 

"You must excuse the time he's taking," Nny explained. "He just came to America from England…where they have NO Wendy's, the poor deprived country…"

"Well, Nny, I think America is probably the only country that has Wendy's," Emily regretted to inform. Nny paled.

"The poor world! What is it coming to??" Nny said. "It will by MY duty to expand Wendy's to a worldwide phenomenon!!"

"Here, here!" Satine, Emily and M-chan said. Christian then decided.

"I'll have what Nny's having," Christian said. He decided to choose that just because Satine was having it too. 

"Alright, your order will be right up," Emily said. "That'll be $12.86 please."

Nny handed her the exact change and Emily gave her the receipt. Nny walked over to where they had the ketchup, spoons, forks, knives, and napkins. She grabbed two small cups that were used to hold ketchup from the bin. She filled them with ketchup and handed them to M-chan. Then she filled two more and gave them to Satine, then two more and gave them to Christian and then two more for herself and then joined them at the table.

"Hmm, God bless the man who made ketchup!" Nny said.

"You mean, tomato sauce?" Christian asked.

"Boy, it's called ketchup here, and Heinz is the best!" Nny said as she took a dab of ketchup. 

"Hey, Nny, your orders are ready!" Emily called. Nny shot up and got it.

"Thank Emily, see ya 'round," Nny said as she rejoined her friends and Emily went to the new customers that just entered. Nny passed out the orders and sat down next to Christian. She shook a fry next to him, "This my friend, is the best French fry you'll ever have."

She stuck it into the ketchup then into her mouth. M-chan laughed at how ravenous Nny took to her cheeseburger with ketchup only.

Satine nibbled at hers, a little more lady like but attacked the fries like a wolf to its prey. Christian gaped at how the two ate. Like a pack of wolves over a scrap of meat I tell you! Christian laughed a little as the two fought over the last fry.

"It's mine! Mine I tell you!" Nny yelled.

"No it's not! It's on my side of the table!!" Satine said. They both pushing eachother's heads back with one hand while grabbing at the fry with the other. Finally Christian took the fry and ate it.

"Mmmm, you're right Nny, it is the best French fry I'll ever have!" Christian said. M-chan coughed.

"Bad move…" M-chan said quietly. She quickly took her frosty and fries and sat at another table. Christian pondered why but was soon answered by the death glares he got from Satine and Nny.

"Eh, I'm sorry?" Christian said not really sure what to say. 

"You're staying here…" Nny said as she got up and threw away her trash. 

"Oh, come on now, Nny, he stole the last fry yes, but that doesn't mean you have to leave him here," Satine defended. Nny grinned.

"Why are you defending him?" Nny asked.

"Because, I don't think it right that he be left here, we should at least drive him half way to his home then have him walk the rest of the way for punishment," Satine covered. What were these feelings inside of her? She couldn't like someone when she just met them!

"Alright," Nny nodded, "Good idea. Let's go."

They got up to leave and as Nny past Emily she said, "See ya tomorrow, Ems."

"Ta ta," Emily said waving then going on to the next customer.

~~End Chapter~~

Haha, so I lied! I updated sooner than I though. *sigh* but I might not be going to La Cueva, they said that the transfers are closed from the tenth (my grade) and up..*sigh* it's all very very sad!! I want to go to La Cueva! Grrr!!!

Well, it's not much now, but I should be getting along with more as time goes on. Perhaps more for the crush growing, and I'll add the conflict in the next chapter. I fear I add it too late, but it'll be the first thing of the next chapter! Thanks for your review!

Ooh, and if you want, you can submit your own character to me to help get Christian and Satine together! Go on, don't be shy!! But they have to be in high school!!

Jester


	3. Chatper Three: Meeting Smee, Anna and Al...

**High School Life**

~begin chapter~

So they didn't really drop of Christian half way to his house. No, dropped him off at his house, which was right next to Nny's house, and down the street from Satine's and just two blocks from M-chan's.

"Well ain't that just the strangest thing?" Nny asked. 

"Fate…" M-chan said. Nny shot her a look.

"Fate? Hah! Don't bring up fate in my presence," Nny grumbled. M-chan nodded. Christian was some what confused but decided not to go far into the subject.

"Well, boy are you going to get out now and go home? Or do you want to go with us to the mall, we can show you around, get you acquainted with Albuquerque," Nny said. "Oh by the way, guys, I gotta go give a present to Smee today, you don't mind the long detour to Rio Rancho do you?"

"No, not at all, just as long as you put on Linkin' Park or AFI," M-chan said.

"Absolutely, I'll go get the CD I burned for it!" Nny said quickly getting out of the car. "You all can come in if you like, it may take a while for finding it, my room's an absolute mess as usual!"

"I'll go tell my Mum where I'll be," Christian said getting out of the car and going just next door."

"Huh, you're living in the old Stefanco's house," Nny observed. "Whatever you do, do NOT get rid of the good lawn that they worked hard on keeping!"

"Alright," Christian said as he jumped up the little two foot wall on to the lawn and up to his house. Nny, M-chan and Satine went into her house.

"Anyone home?" Nny called. She got no response, "Good!"

"Have you heard from your sister lately?" M-chan asked. 

"Oh, that reminds me!" Nny shot out the door to the curb where the mail box was. She checked the mail, skimming through it. Then a smile donned her face and she jumped up holding a letter. "SHE WROTE!! YAY! SHE LIVES!" Nny said called to Satine and M-chan who were waiting near the door. She ran up holding the letter and not caring about the PNM bills that were spilling out of her hand.

"That's great, Nny, let's open it already!" Satine said as the three best friends walked into the kitchen. Satine and M-chan took a seat at the counter as Nny dug through the kitchen looking for her beloved Gatorade.

"Anyone want anything to eat?" Nny asked. They shook their heads.

"Absolutely not, we just ate!" Satine said. Nny chuckled.

"So?"

"Well, unlike you, Nny, Satine and I don't have metabolisms that are quicker than light," M-chan said.

"Eh, oh well, come on, you're both skinny as a twig, does it really matter?" Nny asked. They just gave her a look and she quieted. "Uh, I think I'll go look for the CD now…"

Nny went out of the kitchen and up the stairs and down the hall to her room. To doorbell rang and Satine answered it. Christian stood in front of the door holding the PNM bills that Nny had dropped.

"Oh, hey Christian, come on in," Satine said.

"Er, thanks, uh, I think these belong to, uh Nny?" Christian stumbled a little as he held forward the PNM bills. Satine nodded as she took them and led Christian to the kitchen.

"Yes, that's Nny for you," Satine said. She set the bills on the counter and took a seat next to M-chan. "Should we open the letter now?"

"No, let's wait until Nny comes down," M-chan said. Suddenly they heard loud Linkin' Park music blasting from upstairs. Christian jumped as he heard the Linkin' Park music also from the intercom right behind him. He turned around.

"Oh, interesting, you have house intercoms here too eh?" Christian said as he messed with the dials. 

"Don't touch it," Satine scolded. "If you change the radio station from 103.3 The Zone, Nny'll kill you."

"Oh, alright," Christian said. Boy_, Nny sure seems to take a liking to killing people, Christian thought to himself. Then the Linkin' Park song ended and _Girl's not Grey_ by AFI came on. Then it turned off and the next thing Christian knew Nny was standing right next to him holding the CD._

"Alright, go the CD let's go, and bring the letter," Nny said. M-chan nodded as she grabbed the letter and walked behind Nny. Satine and Christian followed her out.

"So where is Rio Rancho anyway?" Christian asked.

"Ah, the River Ranch is that way," Nny said pointed to the Northwest part of town. "It's sort of a suburb of Albuquerque, on the other side of Grand River."

"Grand River?" Christian repeated. Nny nodded.

"Cee, Rio Grande," Nny said. "Wide river, but no deeper than a foot…"

"Let's go! Can I drive?" Satine said. Nny shook her head.

"No way! Last time you drove we almost ended up in the Rio Grande!" Nny said.

"It wasn't my fault that there was a squirrel in the middle of the road!" Satine said.

"But it was your fault that you didn't want to kill it!" Nny said. "You missed the chance to get 500 points!"

"Well, you wouldn't be complaining if it were a skunk," Satine said. "And that's just as it looked like!"

"Yes, but the fact that we didn't hit it is the very way of knowing that is wasn't a skunk! You know the unwritten law of the road! You see a cat-'ah kill it! Kill it!' but you miss. You see skunk-'no! No! Miss it! Miss!!' but you hit it anyway!" Nny said as she started the car. Christian sat in the front, amuzed as the two bickered.

Nny pulled out of the drive way quickly and shot up the road turning on Lowell then again on Academy. She drove down to Eubank as they listened to Linkin' Park's "faint."

"Hey, Nny!!" M-chan yelled.

"What?!" Nny yelled back.

"I CAN BARELY HEAR THE MUSIC!! TURN IT UP!!" she yelled.

"Absolutely!" Nny said and pumped up the volume. Christian was covering his ears. He was used to having calm classical music being played in his mother's SUV and now hearing this he felt like his ears were going to explode.

"Now, hear me out now! You're gonna listen to me like it or not! RIGHT NOW!" Nny and the others sang along to the song. By the time they reached Rio Rancho, they were on track six which was playing their favorite AFI song, _Girl's not Grey_.

Nny turned the volume down and her speed as they entered Rio Rancho boundries. 

"What're you slowing down for?" Christian asked. Then sarcastically added, "Did you finally realize you were breaking the sound barrier?"  
  


"No," Nny said in all seriousness. "The Rio Rancho police are uptight assholes. They gave my brother a ticket for speeding, just ONE mile over the speed limit. The damned officer said, 'I should give you a warning but I'm just going to give you a ticket!' the fucking asshole, one mile over and they pin him with a citation. They'd probably take him to court if he'd gone two miles over!"

They stopped in front of a beautiful stucco house, two stories high. It was littered with the colors of the desert and it's very own in the front lawn. The beautiful turquoise plants dotted the sandy front lawn along with a cactus or two. The door was a jade color with an actual jade door knob.

Nny ring the doorbell and a tall black haired brown eyed girl answered. She looked at Nny and screamed and hugged her, "Nny!"

"Smee!" Nny gasped as she was taken into a vice grip of a hug. "Alright, enough friendliness, too much…can't breathe!!"

Smee let go finally, "How are you?"

"I'm fine, I just came by to give you a present," Nny said as she showed Smee the brown paper wrapped box. Smee took it inside.

"Come in all of you! Great to see you again, Satine and M-chan!" Smee said as they entered the beautiful desert home. Smee set the box on the counter. "And what exactly is the occasion anyway?"

"Does a friend need a reason to be generous?" Nny asked. Smee just gave her a look, she knew that Nny wanted something.

"Well?" Smee asked. Nny sighed.

"I want you and your cousins help to make a Moulin Rouge themed party at The Pit. Well sort of Moulin Rouge themed anyway, we're gonna have karaoke, and Linkin' Park music, along with some AFI and Disturbed. And Satine is going to be the star again, going only as far as teasing the boys, of course, we won't have any actual prostitution." Nny said as she walked around the kitchen. "Where is your cousin anyway?"

"She went out right quick to do something, I don't know what, I think she had a trouble with some girls at school. Today she pissed of the High School Queen, Merissa, the School Queen, honor roll student, slut, and bitch, what can't she do?" Smee said sarcastically. Nny laughed.

"Well, we'll go looking for her then," Nny said. "But first, open your present."

Smee tore off the wrapper and opened the box and squealed, "ANNE RICE ALL OF HER BOOKS!! Oh my god! Thank you, Nny!! But how did you afford all of this? I thought you said you were broke."

"I lied, I needed an excuse so I could keep saving my money," Nny said. Smee hugged her again and Nny retracted, never being one who like hugs. "No hugging."

"Oh Right, sorry!!" Smee said. They walked out to the driving lot, it was probably in the mid seventies now, quite hot for the fall. "I don't think we can all fit into your car, Nny."

"I know, that's why we're taking yours too," Nny said patting old car that Smee owned. "Who wants to ride with me?"

"I will," Satine said. Christian stepped up.

"And me too," Christian said. Nny shook her head.

"No, just one, I'll be taking Anna wherever we find her," Nny said. "I have a few things I need to talk to her about. Chris, you can go with M-chan and Smee. You know, I don't want to call you Chris, no, it reminds me of that asshole I once dated in Middle School. Hmm, we'll call you Tin."

"How the hell do you get 'Tin' out of 'Christian'?" Christian asked. Nny laughed.

"It's like the last bit of your name sort of, that's how," Nny said. "Like my name. M-chan's real name is Melissa, Sats is Satine I'll call her both though because I like her name. and Smee's real name is Samantha, but that's too long to say, so I made Smee out of Sammy."

"Oh," Christian said now seeing the pattern, well sort of pattern anyways. "So what do you call Anna?"

"Anna," Nny said. "Just Anna, I like the name."

"Alright, I'm thinking she'll be near Cibola," Smee said. "You remember how to get there, don't you, Nny?"

Nny nodded, "Hai, I do. Let's go."

Nny and Satine got in her car and left and then Smee, M-chan and Christian left. 

"I wonder what Anna did today…" Nny said as she drove into the parking lot of Cibola High School. "There she is…"

Nny pointed to where a single girl with long brown hair pulled back into a braid wearing a loose shirt and baggy shorts stood facing three blondes all wearing tight clothing and mean looks. Nny parked and got out of the car, "You can stay if you want, Sats. I don't think you want to see the blood fly today…"

"No, it's okay, Anna is my friend too, we all defend her," Satine said getting out of the car. Just a few short seconds later Smee and M-chan walked up with Christian tailing behind.

"Well, friends, let's kick some ass," Nny said. She grinned, "I've always wanted to say that."

"You say that everyday," M-chan stated.

"yes, but not for this type of situation," Nny said. Then they walked over then. Nny put her hat backwards as she glared at the girls. She walked up behind Anna and said, "Well, well, well what do we have here?"

"A pack of bitches," Anna said coldly. Nny chuckled.

"I thought so," she said as she took off her hat a moment to cool down. Her spiky short hair was ruffled around. She gave her hat to Christian, "Guard this hat with your life, Tin. Don't let anyone touch it."

M-chan, Anna, Smee and Satine seemed shocked by what Nny did. Christian noticed these looks and asked, "What's wrong?"  
  


"Nny's only known you for like what, seven hours and she's already placed her favorite hat in your possession to keep safe!" Satine said. "Now, that's an honor."

The others nodded in agreement.

The three blondes snickered at Nny. The middle, seeming to be the leader laughed and pointed, "Look ladies, an it with tits!"

Nny was unfazed by the insult and just stood there glaring. She took off her glasses and handed them to M-chan who was growling lowly, "Hold these."

"Ah, you know I bet she has a dick too!" one of the other girls said. By then Satine was at them she threw a mean right hook at the girl who just spoke.

"Don't you dare insult my friend like that!" Satine screeched as she continued to kick the girl. Nny stood there watching and smirking.

"Ah, Nny good teacher!" she said in a George-of-Jungle like voice. After a while, Satine still hadn't stopped kicking and Nny was getting a little worried. She walked up and pulled Satine back by her arms. "Uh, Satine, Satine calm down! Calm down, Sats!"

"Ergh! Huh? Oh, hehehe," Satine laughed innocently. "Whoops, got carried away there…"

"You little slut! How dare you treat us like that, you prostitutional whore!" the other girl said as she_ didn't help her friend up. Nny glared at her then in a quick movement she kicked the girl that was trying to get up back down and punch the girl who just spoke right in the nose and gave a forceful kick right in the abdomen of the third girl._

"One; what the hell what what?!?! 'Prostitutional whore'?!?! Prostitutional isn't even a fucking word you fuck! Two; don't insult my friends with words that aren't even words! Three; don't insult my friends AT ALL!! YOU FUCKS!" Nny yelled then she grabbed one of the girls by the hair and pulled out her knife. Everyone immediately stopped her.

"Hey, hey, hey!!" Satine said. "We don't need a lawsuit filed against us, let's just go, now!"

Nny nodded and let go of the girl and wiped her hand in the sand then they left.

~~

"So you want me to arrange it all eh? At least as far as the music goes? And you want me to help sell tickets at Cibola eh?"Anna asked as she drank a Keva Juice. Nny nodded. "And in just three weeks?"

"Yes, I know, it's short, but I'm sure you can pull it off, after all, you are a Jew," Nny said. Nny had an obsession with Jews. "Smee can help you in selling the tickets at Cibola."

"yes, I see, what kind of ideas do you have for music?" 

"Well, I'm not sure if I want it all jazzy and stuff since this is a party for high schoolers, we want some hard rock as well," Nny said. "I'm not too sure, you know I'm not good when it comes to music!"

"Alright, alright, if you're not going to help me then I'll need someone who can," Anna said. Nny grinned.

"I know just who to call!"

~~ten minutes later~~

A tall albino girl walked into the Keva Juice store, bobbing her head to some tune in her mind. She had hair as fiery red as Satine's and wore small glasses and had amazing green eyes. She was a little chubby, but she wasn't at all fat. She looked around the small store until she spotted Nny and the others seated in a booth. She waved excitedly, "Hey!" She laughed as she came over.

"Hey Ali-chan!" Nny said as she stood up a let her have a seat at the booth sitting across from Anna. Nny pulled up a chair from the table. 

"How's it going? Why'd you call me here?" Ali-chan asked in an upbeat voice. Ali-chan would've been considered a prep if it weren't for her semi-anti-humans speeches and her love of the dead and her hatred for the sun. "Having to travel in the sun I was like 'noo! Noo!! Evil ball of fire!!" Ali-chan laughed again. She was always in a good mood and always laughed at anything she found amusing even in the most serious situations.

"It's going good, and sorry to have woken you so early from your sleep oh Lady Vampire," Nny teased. "but it's on party business."

"oh! A party, really? Well then, let's talk!" Ali-chan said even more happily.

"Who's she?" Christian asked Satine and M-chan as they sat in a different booth.

"That's Ali-chan, she's an upbeat kind of person, but usually comes out at night," M-chan laughed. "She's an albino who lives in the desert! Haha, what a contradiction!"

"Yes, but I'm almost snow white too," Satine said.

"yes and you sun burn so easily," M-chan said. Smee came up with the Keva drinks.

"Thanks," Christian said as he took his and took a sip. This was his very fist Keva. The girls looked on in anticipation. Christian nodded, "This is great!"

"yay! You are, my friend, ready to become American!" Satine said placing an arm around Christian's shoulder. M-chan and Smee exchanged a look that was missed by Satine and Christian. "Every American has at least tried a Keva."

"really? Well, I'm not sure if I'm ready to let go of my British roots yet," Christian said a tad nervously. He loved the fact that Satine put her arm around him!

Nny, Anna and Ali-chan finally came over and sat down at the already crowded table. 

"Sats, already putting moves on the man?" Nny asked as she eyed where Satine's left arm was around Christian's shoulders. Satine blushed a deep shade of red almost as red as her hair and pulled arm back to herself. Nny laughed, "Don't look so embarrassed! I'm only joshing!"

"Nice josh," Satine said sarcastically. Nny laughed, she couldn't help it.

"Well, we've got it all planned out now, mates," Nny said. "We'll just need a crew to help build some stuff. Don't worry about the fee for using the Pit either, I've taken care of that."

Everyone looked at each a little uneasily, Nny had used 'The Tone' on which meant she did something violent or something some what violent. Nny noticed everyone's looks and said, "What?"

They all laughed.

~~

"What you're asking, sir, is quite a lot, you know Nny'll have your head for this, despite to position of 'power' of you have," Harold Zidler's voice said with a deep dark tone.

"I don't care, Zidler," came the rat like voice from the shadows. "I want Satine as my own."

"She's too young!"

"Silence!" the rat like tone took on a quick powerful tone in that single word, making Zidler hush. "I don't care that's she's too young, I will become young to her as well. No one will ever know it is me. And if Nny tries to do anything, my good manservant, Warner, will deal with her in the only language that her underworld reZ dog scum understand. Satine will be mine, and mine alone! And if you do not oblige me, I will report all illegal activity happening at The Pit whether fact or not to the police and have you and everyone there arrested and sent to prison. You're not seventeen anymore, Zidler, you're eighteen you can go to jail for life now. Do we have an agreement?"

Zidler thought over it a while. He knew he had done some bad stuff throughout high school and before, but was always let off easy since he wasn't an official adult. But now, oh boy, now he could go to jail and under many allegations too! 

"Alright, we have an agreement," Zidler produced forth a paper work sealing the deal.

"Good," the rat like voice said again and then he was gone from the dark room. Zidler sat there at his desk, even in the dark, people could tell he just regretted what he had done.

~~End Chapter~~

So I lied again! Lol, sorry, I keep lying, but I'm writing, and I feel that this should've come last. Okay, well, it's nearly official that I'll be going to El Dorado and not La Cueva. *sigh* I just got enrolled yesterday and I got the schedule today, I'm taking Creative Writing though! ^_^ Which I feel that I should've taken Computer class instead, but I may enroll in another school, well classes anyway that are for all ages for computer stuff. Hehehe, alrighty then. There's Chapter Three for you!

Well, please review! Tata.

Jester


	4. Chapter Four: Plotting and Planning the ...

**High School Life**

~~Begin Chapter~~

"Now remember Satine, when this is done in The Pit, we're going to have the same dance routine only a little longer and wider as it was usually to be," Nny said as she strung up the corset. Satine winced a little, she still wasn't used to the corsets.

"Goddamnit!" She cursed then she gasped as Nny really, really tightened the corset to where she felt she couldn't breath.

"Don't use God's name in vein like that," Nny said. Satine nodded and Nny loosened the corset.

"Why do we have to use these anyway? I mean, it's just rehearsal," Satine said. She'd do anything to get out of wearing a corset, except use the Lord's name in vein.

"Y'know, you have a point, Satine," Nny said. "How say you to this? I'll let you practice with just a slip and the outfit and on opening night you use the corset. How's that sound?"

"I agree!" Satine said. "Now just get this thing off of me!"

"Alright," Nny said as she got a grip on the corset took out her knife and slit all the strings. Satine, near nude, fell onto the bed breathing in deep breaths of air. 

"AIR!" She gasped. "OXYGEN, YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND!!"

Nny wasn't so happy though as she realized she had just ruined their best corset, "Aww, man! This was the best corset I could find in Old Town! Damn it, now I have to buy a new! Probably no others like this one! It frikkin' cost me fifty bucks, man!! Shit!"

"Uh, Nny," Christian burst in the door in just his pants. "Where's my shirt?"

Satine's and Nny's eyes were directly looking at Christian's amazingly actually tanned body and well brought out abs. 

Christian then noticed the seemingly strange situation and backed up, "Was I interrupting something?"

"What? Oh, ra! No, geez!" Nny said. "I've got nothing against homosexuals or bis, I'm just not one of 'em! And next time knock before you enter a room! Especially a dressing room! Geez where are your manners, and your shirt?!" 

"That's what I asked you…er, about the shirt anyway, sorry about my bad manners," Christian said. He took a glance at Satine, she was sitting with her sheets around her and her back to him though she seemed to be studying him over her shoulder.

"Oh, right, eheh," Nny turned around and searched through her closet and picked out a shirt. She turned around and handed it to Christian, "Here you go, Tin, this'll do for you. Well, er Sats, you know where your dress is, be ready in fifteen, I'll send M-chan up to help you with your make-up."

Then Nny closed the door and walked down the hall explaining the show to Christian, "You see, Christian. Ever since Ninth Grade I've been throwing these parties, usually an Old Moulin Rouge Themed and only such, but this year, since I'm leaving high school and going into College, I'm going to throw the bash of the century. It's going to be Moulin Rouge with an intermingle of a real Rave. Linkin' Park, Metallica, and some AFI too."

"No, no, no, no!" Anna said as she came up carrying papers. "How did AFI get on the list eh? How? You do know that about ¾ of this world hates AFI don't you?"

Nny shrugged, "Well, I'm not apart of that ¾ and if anyone complains, I'll just tell them to get out and that the whole Rave/Moulin Rouge party is over! Done, non existent! Don't worry, I have my ways of throwing Raves!"

Anna sighed, there was no point in arguing, Anna may have the favor of Nny, but when it came to music, Nny was a mountain that would not crumble. She nodded, "fine, fine, we'll keep in the AFI."

She walked back down the hall to where Nny's parents' room was and sat at the computer making e-mails to people she knew that could help her. Nny and Christian continued to walk downstairs to the kitchen.

"AFI, Linkin' Park my two favorite bands in the world," Nny said. "What are your favorites?"

"Well, um, I'm quite the Oasis fan, it's the only rock band I listen to really. I'm usually with some jazz, or swing music," Christian said.

"Oasis eh? Never heard their songs, I don't think," Nny said. She saw M-chan sitting at the table, not looking happy. "What's the matter with you, M-chan?"

"Argh! Nini, that's what!! That's who! She's being such a bitch, I swear!" M-chan said in an angry tone. "Do you know what she did?"

"Didn't like your style on make-up and then tossed it all to the ground shouting, 'you suck' really loudly in Spanish and stamping all over the make up you spent so much money on just for this occasion?" Nny said.

"EXACTLY!" M-chan said. "I swear, I worked double shifts to save up enough money for all that make up and she just completely destroys it for free, in less than five minutes!"

Nny sighed then yelled, "NINI!"

Nny looked out the window as she saw Nini get up from Juarez as they were making out on the sofa in the back. Nini walked inside, composing herself. Nny's little dog, Binks, ran up from behind her and jumped into Nny's arms. Binks growled at Nini.

"Cool it, Binks," Nny said. Then she averted her gaze to Nini, "Now, Nini, I hear you completely wrecked M-chan's Make-up collection that she bought just for this occasion."

"Cee, well the Senorita didn't know how to properly apply the make-up," Nini said. Nny put her dog down and walked up to Nini and slapped right across the face. "Next time, don't complain just go with it! You're letting you High School 'Stardom' get to your head. Stay modest, and stop making out with Juarez on my lawn furniture!"

Nini held her reddening face and then walked away muttering a few choice words in spanish. Nny walked back to the window and then sat down, leaning against the nook of the counter and the wall. She tapped her lap a bit, "Come here, Binks! Good dog! You are the sunshine of my life, when was the last time I said that to?"

M-chan laughed, Nny loved that dog like her child. Then she said, "So what're we going to do about the make up?"

"I hate to do this, but we'll resort to what my mom has left here," Nny said. "You know where it is don't you?"

"Yes," M-chan said then got up. 

"Oh, when you get it, go to my room, Satine'll be waiting for you to help her put it on," Nny said. M-chan nodded then headed upstairs.

"Is Nini always that mean?" Christian asked. Nny shook her head.

"Usually she is this mean when she's PMSing, other than that, she's actually a nice person," Nny said. Nny looked at the clocked and gasped. "Oh Shit!" She shot to the banister and yelled to everyone in the den, "GET OUT! TEN MINUTES!! GET OUT!! Meet me at The Pit in an hour! NOW GET OUT! HURRY!"

Everyone didn't stop to wonder why they just left as quickly as possible.

"Do I have to leave?" Christian asked. Nny shook her head. 

"No, you can stay," Nny said. "Go upstairs and tell Satine and M-chan to drop whatever they are doing and come down here. Tell Satine to get dressed properly first!" Nny opened the window, "Hey, two Spanish Lovers, get out of my backyard now! Ten minutes! Be at the The Pit in an hour! Hurry!"

Nini and Juarez got off the sofa and left through the side gate.

"Why do you keep yelling Ten minutes?" Christian asked.

"Because ten minutes is when my brother will be home! Now go tell M-chan and Satine!" Nny said. She went downstairs and cleaned up all the messes the dancers that were to be in the show made. 

Christian knocked on the door before entering this time. M-chan opened it and let him come in.

"What's up?" M-chan asked. "I just heard like ten cars starting at once and leaving and I look out the window and everyone's gone!"

"Oh, uhm," Christian was having a hard time to keep from staring at Satine. She looked so beautiful with the make-up on and even though her hair was a bit of a mess it was still so beautiful. M-chan was doing her hair when Christian had come in.

"Well?" M-chan asked.

"Oh, uh, Nny's brother is coming home soon, so she said to stop whatever you're doing and for you, uh, Miss Satine, to get dressed in your regular clothes," Christian said fumbling slightly. Satine nodded. 

A few moments passed finally M-chan said, "Well, if she's going to get dressed, I suggest that you leave!"

"What? Oh, yes, sorry," Christian left. M-chan left soon after.

Christian and M-chan walked back down to the Den where Nny lay on the couch. M-chan slapped her legs, Nny sat up giving room for M-chan and Christian to sit down.

"Where are your parents?" Christian asked.

"Uh, they're uh, they're away," Nny said taking a drink of her Gatorade. 

"Oh, where?"

"Just out," Nny said. 

"Do they know that you throw these parties?"

"I'm sure they do," Nny chuckled dryly.

"And they actually let you do this?"

"It's not like they can stop me really," Nny said. 

"Why not?" Christian asked.

"They're dead," Nny said. "They're dead to me, and to my sister and to my brother. They're dead to the world!"

M-chan patted Nny's back, "Calm down, S-chan."  
  


"Oh, I-I'm sorry," Christian said stunned to think that Nny would be parentless. "How?"

"Car crash when I was in eighth grade…I got in a fight with them," Nny said wiping her eyes, "After school got out and refused to ride with them. I refused to go with them. I was especially bad to my father, and so they left as I walked home. I witnessed it, I saw them make a turn and then some damned teenager came speeding down the road, racing with someone else and they both crashed into my parents' car!" Nny took another gulp of her Gatorade. 

"I'm sorry you had to witness such a thing," Christian said. Nny just grunted and got up to go to the kitchen. Then the front door opened.

  
"Hey! How's it going?" A tall guy walked into the house. He was dressed in a button up shirt and slacks. He had a Marine-shaved head carried a bag next to him.

"Hey, brother," Nny said as she went into the kitchen.

"Hello, Nny and who have you here today?" her brother asked.

"Oh, the usual guests, M-chan and Satine, and a newbie," Nny said as she put her Gatorade in the fridge.

"And who's he?" her brother asked gesturing to Christian.

"My name's Christian, sir," Christian said as he stood up and shook Nny's brother's hand.

"Sir? Heh, I like this guy, he knows an officer when he sees one, well, not exactly an officer but a Marines anyway. My name's Davy, Nny's Brother," Davy said.

"Hello," Christian said. M-chan walked up to the kitchen.

"I swear, Nny, I really do not like teaching 10th graders anymore," Davy said as he sat on the couch.

"Yes, yes, you've complained about it all the time," Nny said. "If you don't like teaching anymore, brother, you can always quit and just stay in the Marines. They pay you good enough."

"What do you want for dinner?"

"I was going to go take Christian out, you know, show him around town," Nny said. "I can cook you up something really quick if you want."

Davy shot up and went to the kitchen where they were, "No, I'll cook for myself, I need to do something that'll calm me down." He turned to Christian, "If you do anything to harm these girls, I will personally see to it that you are slowly tortured and killed."

Christian's eyes grew a little, "Eh?"

"I'll have my regiment do cruel and unnatural things to you, starting with neutering you."

Christian's eyes went wide, "I-I won't do anything…s-sir…"

Davy grinned, "Good, now be safe, Nny."

"See ya, Dave," Nny grabbed her keys. "Hey Sats let's go!"

Satine came down carrying a bag, "Coming!"

Satine hurried down the stairs and closed the door behind her not even acknowledging her friend's brother's appearance. Satine dashed over to the car and got in the back.

Nny took out some cigarettes that were in the visor. She took out one cigarette and broke it and smeared out the contents to the Earth. Then she took the others and tossed it out as they went out on Spain.

"We're going to the Pit aren't we?" M-chan asked. Nny nodded as she took a left at Juan Tabo. "Then why are we on Spain?"

"We need to get something to eat for dinner, and we need to pick up Ali-chan," Nny said. "And Em is going to be in the show as well, so we need to pick her up as well."

"Who's Em?" Christian asked from the back seat. He was sitting in between Satine and M-chan. 

"Remember that girl from Wendy's?" Satine said. Christian looked at her and nodded. "That's Em, short for Emily."

"Oh," Christian tore his gaze to look ahead. 

"So, Nny, have you gotten into looking for any jobs lately?" Satine asked. Nny laughed.

"Oh yes," Nny laughed and joked, "I'm going to be working at a morgue!"

"A morgue?" Christian repeated. "Why would you want to work there?"

"I'm just joshing, man," Nny laughed then took a sharp left onto Montgomery and then a sharp right into the parking lot of El Dorado High School. "Alright you can wait here and I'll go get Ali-chan and Emily."

"Wouldn't Emily be at Wendy's though?" Christian asked. Nny shook her head.

"No, Emily and Ali-chan always come by here at five, they have some evil plans going on but I'm going to have to cut them short," Nny said. Satine got out of the car.

"Evil plans you say?" She grinned. "Well I'll have to make sure you don't fall victim to these evil plans no partake in them!"

"Oh come on, Sats! You saved me from humiliating myself just once back in middle school," Nny said lightly. "Don't think it's your duty to keep me from humiliation all the time!"

"I regret that you've done that, Sats," M-chan said. "By doing that, you've made Nny's ego shoot up a few points."

Christian got out of the car to, only to be where Satine was.

"Well let's go then," Nny said and walked into the school court yard. They met Emily and Ali-chan, reminded them of Christian and then headed out to the Pit. Upon arriving at the Pit downtown Albuquerque there were many cars parked outside and group of women and some men waiting outside smoking or drinking or both. Nny pushed through the crowd and unlocked the doors and they flooded in.

"Lizzy," Nny called to a red headed tall white girl who looked very much Ali-chan, which wasn't a shock since they were cousins and they shared many of the same interests. She walked over to Nny.

"Yes?" She asked.

"You've always been one with electricity, pair up with Zidler there," Nny pointed to Zidler who seemed a little down. "And figure out how to bring this to The Pit." Nny gave her a piece of paper that were obviously designs, many of them, for electrical show at The Pit.

Lizzy gawked a bit as she looked through the seemingly impossible but brilliantly made designs. She looked up at Nny, "I really don't think any of this is possible."

"Well make it possible or I'll take away your hatchet!" Nny threatened. Lizzy shook, her Hatchet was sacred to her. Like Nny's hat was to her. Lizzy's nick name was Lizzy Borden, after the Lizzy Borden who killed her parents. She was especially held to that title since she was an orphan who lived with her aunt on her mother's side (Ali-chan is a cousin from her father's side.)

"Okay, I will," Lizzy said then she walked over to Zidler to enlist his help.

"Wow, this is a great place," Christian said looked down at the basketball court that was being cleared away to make a dance floor. He looked around and saw all kinds of signs and all the rows of benches and seats. Satine stood next to him and nodded.

"All the Home games for the Lobos basketball team are played here. They're great team, and this is the best Arena in the state. They hold The Gathering of the Nations here along with other events," Satine said. Christian looked at her inquiringly.

"Gathering of the Nations? I've never heard of that except for U.N. meetings, they have U.N. meetings here?" Christian asked. Satine almost fell over the banister with laughter, Christian caught her and held her up and Satine continued to laugh on his shoulder. Christian grinned a little; he didn't mind where she was at all. Finally, Christian's confusion got to him and he held Satine out at arm's length, "What's so funny?"

"Ga-hehe, gather of the nations isn't pertaining to anything U.N. at all!" Satine laughed a bit more then caught her breath long enough to say calmly, "It means that tribes from the Native American people come to compete in dances and songs. While the dances, traditional and new, are held in here, outside fry bread is sold, along with art displays, and drinks, and other goods. There was this one time a few years ago when this one guy was selling a thing that looked like a hammock only its ends were just inches away, but it was something to sleep in, it was very comfortable."

"Tribes? Native Americans?" Christian seemed a bit clueless and then Satine grew serious.

"Oh my ra, the lack of education you have received about America's history!" Satine said. "Well, I'll have to fill you in. Well, before the Spanish and Portuguese, and Russians and English and French came to America in the 1500s there were just the People of the Land here. They were in different nations unto themselves, though modernized they are called tribes. But they were there people that were primitive because they respected the Earth in all the ways they could. They took only what they needed and always thanked the animals they killed. They all shared the belief in the Great Spirit who ruled over them all. Especially the nations of the plains; Sioux, crow, Cheyenne etcetera."

"Oh, so, they, the Native Americans are tribes, like the Scottish once were too?" Christian asked. Satine nodded.

"Yeah, it's similar to that. They fought each other a lot, but still had mutual respect," Satine said. "Their way of fighting really helped effect modern day fighting, guerilla tactics you know."

"Oh, that came from them?" Christian asked.

"Well, at one point or other, we all used it, but after a while even war was to be 'civilized' though war can never be truly 'civilized'."

"True."

"So, uh, how did you come to live here, in New Mexico anyway?" Satine asked as she leaned on the banister. Christian was leaning on it too he looked at her.

"My father he works for the London Tourists Board, so my family moves around a lot. I usually was kept in London with my Grandmother to keep a steady education, but she passed away during the summer vacation and I have no other relatives in London so I was forced to move here with my younger brother," Christian said.

"Oh you have a younger brother? How old?"

"Yeah, he's uh, 15 now," Christian said thinking on it just a few seconds. Christian laughed lightly, "He's just like my father, a serious lout with no interest what so ever in art."

"Oh? Tell about your family," Satine said. Christian sighed and shrugged.

"What's there to say? My mother is overly energetic but somewhat embarrassing to be seen in public with since you know, she has that big mouth and all," Christian said. "My father is an uptight complete bastard who has no life and used to work at a major banking company but it fell in the early nineties so he started to work for the London Tourist Board. My brother is probably going to grow up to be like him. What about you, what is your life like here?"

Satine pointed to where Nny, M-chan, Ali-chan, Anna, and Smee were all standing together laughing as Nny acted out things she just came up with for her story and made goofy faces. She smiled, "They're my life here. Nny I've known the longest and M-chan the second longest. They've always been there for me when everyone else would put me down, especially recently when everyone seems to be against France and I'm just in love with the country."

"Oh, so they're like your bodyguards?" Christian asked. Satine laughed a little and shook her head.

"They only wish! I can take care of myself fine," Satine said. Satine pulled Christian's arm in the direction of her friends and she said with a smile, "Let's go over and join them now. It's always interesting to heard Nny's stories."

"And then, he runs up to the guy and goes, 'Fuck this! I'm going to fucking kill you! You slimy piece of fish!' and the guy looks at him all weird like and goes ' "Slimey piece of fish"? what the hell is that?' Then Jangler just explodes and says, 'Do you dare defy me, the prince of all things unholy?!' and the guy goes, '…yeah.'," Nny said people laughed at the different gestures she did. M-chan joined in since they were telling the escapades of their voices and them trapped on an island with tons of houses and buildings but all deserted. 

"Then Meliah came in and just said, 'Jangler shut-up'," then M-chan looked like she was tying something and she said, "then she tied Jangler's monkey tail to the light pole and left him there for the night."

"Aw, poor Jangler!" Satine said. 

"Jangler says thank you," Nny said. Christian laughed a little, these Americans certainly were…different. "All the while Euan is at the pub with Lizzy getting drunk off of Absinthe and saying that his life as a conscience to me is horrifying."

"And Lizzy isn't listening because she's passed out on the bar from ten too many shots of tequila," M-chan pointed out.

Nny laughed and said, "Whilst Aurie decided to hunt Hawk near the volcano that smokes but never seems to erupt."

"And hawk lead her straight into the crater!"

"And now Aurie, is burning up as she sits in wolf form on a rock ledge," Nny said. "I think she's waiting for the helicopter to pick her up."

"We have a helicopter?"

"No…"

"Oh…haha," M-chan laughed at Aurie's stupidity and desperation.

"Send my regards and consolations to Aurie," Christian said playing along. Nny nodded.

"She says, 'what the hell? Just regards and consolations? Bloody hell, get me a helicopter get me out of here!'" Nny said. Ali-chan laughed when Nny said "Bloody hell".

"Hey, Nny, we need you down in the Pit, we're waiting," the Head Stage manager said. Nny nodded and walked down the stairs saying "see you laters" to everyone.

"Let's go get a seat," Satine said pushing Christian a little to the seats in the back. On the screens near the billboards, came Nny's face. She spoke into a microphone as she addressed everyone there.

"Good evening people, and thank your for being here. I'm sure you all know me, and for those of you who don't, my name's Nny. I am the director of this show, I run it all," Nny said. "What is 'it all'? Well 'it all' is the annual once a year Moulin Rouge themed show that I've put on since Ninth Grade when I first came up with the idea after reading up on the Bohemian Revolution which I have to do again this year. But this year, as my final legacy to La Cueva and my final going away act, I've decided to hold it in the pit. And, we're making it bigger and better by having Karaoke, a DJ provided by the artful Satie, who will be looking for help so if you or anyone you know can help him, please tell him or me, and we're going to have louder more powerful music, not just swing-jazz, but we're heading for some punk and heavy metal, Linkin' Park and AFI and many others! Now, this is going to be a task beyond what I've e'er gave you before. I have here," Nny took from Lizzy her designs, "ten different near impossible designs for the show this year, we're going to choose one today and on Sunday I will pronounce which one has been voted on the most and then on Monday, we'll have just three short weeks to bring it all together along with the rehearsal and dance choreography! So, now let's begin."

Lizzy passed out sheets to all the many and several dozens of people that were to help and perform here. They had all ten mini designs on them and they were check on off and fold the paper and then pass it to the front. 

Nny was finished with her speech, they all knew what they had to do so Nny walked back up to join her friends. Nny looked out the window and saw the sun set she turned to her friends, "Well, friends, my day of no work has begun."

"As has mine," Anna said. Christian looked a little puzzled.

"Why? There's still a lot to do here," Christian said. Nny shook her head.

"No for me or Anna, we follow the old Jewish ways, we don't work from Sunset on Friday to Sunset of Saturday," Nny said. "Really, my days begin and end on sunsets not midnights. Let's go home all."

Satine, M-chan, Ali-chan, Emily and Christian followed Nny out to her car and they left.

~~End Chapter~~

Jester: Mwahahaha, I've gotten to chapter four and we're still on day one…well now I'm moving things along in my next chapter. Next chapter we'll dive more into the feelings of Christian and Satine and then dun dun dun, we'll enter the protagonist…or is it antagonist? Anyway, we'll enter the Jealousy and all hahahaha oops, I hope I didn't give it away

Euan:…

Jester: ooh go visit my church of McGregor! And my Bohowave forums! I'll have the links posted in my bio!

If you think you can contribute anything to help make the chatsite, please do post. I'll post what is needed.

Jester Fraser__


	5. Feelings thoughts

**High School Life**

Rays of bright sunlight filtered into the almost bare room of Christian Adams. The rays at first started at the top of the wall then slowly descended to shine right in Christian's eyes. Christian woke up and winced from the bright sunlight. It would take a while for him to get used to the sun of the desert.

He rolled out of his low bed and got up. His dark hair was a ruffled mess as he got up and sat to his desk where he had an old fashioned type-writer sitting. It was one of the first things that he had unpacked. Of course Christian was a writer and yesterday was a crazy confusing mass of introductions to America and a group of people he found that he liked immediately. Particularly one fiery red haired goddess, skin that was like porcelain and ice blue eyes that showed so much happiness and innocence, the goddess, the beauty, the star, and her name was Satine.

Christian looked out the window again, the sun was blocked now by some trees, but the few golden rays that came through made a golden outlined on the leaves and the mountains looked like old and looked wise. Inspiration…

Christian quickly started typing away at a new poem(1);

_My heart aches completely of every moment of every day_

_And only when I'm with you does the pain go away_

_I've never known a love quite like yours_

_And only hope for it all to flow more_

_I want to hold you in my arms_

_And keep you safe from all harm_

_Please do say that you'll be mine_

_For I'll love you 'till the end of time_

Christian's typewriter clicked away and then died down as he wrote the last line. He sat back and looked out his other window that faced the Elementary School across the street, he squinted as he saw someone walking, what brought his attention to the figure was the fiery red hair that just stood out. It was _her_.

Christian got up and moved over to the other window that was just above his bed and he watched her walk along the side walk ever so gracefully and peacefully, but somehow, Christian could tell that she was thinking. But thinking of what, he wondered? He hoped, that perhaps, she was thinking of him as he watched and thought of her. She filled his every thought and all he wanted to see was her. 

Finally, she crossed the street, Christian grew nervous, she was heading in the direction of his house! But then Christian sighed and realized she was heading to the house next door, Nny's house. Disappointed slightly, Christian leaned back on his bed, thinking only of Satine, he closed his eyes and soon he fell asleep again. His body was not yet fully adjusted to the time of America, seven hours behind, even though now he'd be fully awake London hanging at the Café just around the corner, he had spent all his usual sleeping hours awake with his new buddies, his new friends so now, he just wanted to catch up on some Z's.

~~

Satine sighed as she woke up at five thirty a.m. She was one to always wake up early. She got dressed in some jeans and a light shirt and walked outside to go to the park down the street.

She sat on the bars, balancing her self between two bars on the rainbow-bars. Two arched monkey bars that intersected were the rainbow bars, there were three of them in the park. Two in front of the swings next to the large Elementary School Gym, and a third near a Jungle gym that had a beautiful view to the mountains. It was Satine's favorite spot in the school park, she love to sit on the bars and just watch the sky being colored by the golden rays of the sun. Satine held her breath in anticipation of the best part of the morning, slowly, the sun peeked it's orb over the top of the mountain and a beautiful silver lined the crest of the mountain, it was the most beautiful part of the sunrise, and only lasted for a while. Satine sighed at the beauty and just smiled as it seemed like the golden rays just poured color into all of the sky and land.

"And then one day," Satine softly sang a song she heard someone listening to at school. "A magic day, he passed my way. And while we spoke of many things; fools and kings, this he said to me, 'The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn Is Just to Love and Be Loved In Return.'"

Satine was now walking up the sidewalk in front of the school and as she held on softly to the note on "return" she looked at the house that was recently occupied by a boy, a strange and enchanting boy named Christian Adams. She thought a moment to go to his house, she started heading his way, but then though suddenly, _But what am I to say?!_

Immediately she changed her direction and went to Nny's house instead, she had a few things to talk to Nny about anyway right?...No, not really, but it's easy to go to her house, she always did and never needed a reason nor introduction, the two siblings were used to Satine coming by, even at the middle of the night when Satine was thinking and needed someone to talk to, Nny was always welcoming. 

Satine walked onto the porch and rang the doorbell. She had to ring it twice, the second time only a few minutes after the first, just to wake up. Nny answered the door, squinting her eyes, she didn't have her glasses or hat on, but she was fully clothed in yesterday's clothes. Her hair was ruffled and unkept, but it didn't look bad since it was so shortly cut like a guy's so it was acceptable. She stood back letting Satine walk in.

"Exactly why do you disturb me on the Sabbath before I even got in prayer?" Nny asked jokingly serious. Satine laughed a bit as she sat down at the table. Nny walked to the stove and took out some pans and potatoes. She grabbed a plate and a cheese grader and sat down near Satine at the table putting down the potatoes, plate and cheese graders and grabbed the potato peeler and trash bin and leaned over it. She started peeling quickly and curtly.

Satine graded the bare potatoes onto the plate. Nny noticed at how she seemed so quiet. She asked, "What's bothering you? Did someone do anything that offended you this morning? If so, I swear I'll bally chop them into pieces and eat them!"

Satine smiled a bit and she shook her head, "No, I was just thinking deeply this morning as I watched the sunrise."

"You were thinking? Now there's a miracle," Nny joked and raised her arms in defense as Satine laughed and slapped her playfully.

"No, but I was thinking really, I was just thinking of someone," Satine said.

"Of who?"

"I was thinking of just an imaginary man, a dream," Satine said. 

"I believe in dragons, and unicorns, and good men and other mythical creatures!" Nny said like a child. Satine laughed and Nny grinned, glad to make her friend happy.

"Yes, just a dream," Satine said. Nny and Satine finished grading the potatoes and Nny took them over to the stove. She put some cooking oil on the flat pan and started the oven. After a while she put on the graded potatoes and cooked them into golden-brown hash browns. She split the hash browns and gave one half to Satine and sat down eating her own after saying a quick prayer.

"Make quick what you want to say, Satine. I have to pray soon," Nny said through a mouthful of hash browns. Satine nodded as she swallowed a mouthful of hash browns.

"I think I will never love. I think it may just be a distraction, and I've told you so many times I won't ever fall in love," Satine said. Nny nodded, indeed many times she heard Satine say she was never going to love. "But I still find myself dreaming of a man, _the man for me. I wish I wouldn't, but it's as if I have no control over it."_

Nny swallowed the last of her breakfast and nodded, "I see, I guess it's because you're bound to love, Satine. Love happens when you don't want it to happen and it'll happen when you want it to, Love happens and you really _don't have any control over it."_

Satine finished her hash browns, and Nny cleaned up. Satine sighed, "I refuse to let it happen though. I refuse, I won't think of love, I won't even consider it!"

"Then stop talking about it," Nny said plainly. Satine nodded.

"You're absolutely right!" Satine said definitely. "I won't think of it, never ever let me even talk about it!"

"Alright," Nny said as she walked back over. She stood there a moment then said, "Satine, you should go now, I have to pray."

"Oh yeah, right, sorry!" Satine left quickly and walked back up the street. 

~~

Christian woke up just a few minutes later, now he couldn't sleep. He looked out his window again, oh and the timing he had couldn't be any better if he knew! There she was, the fiery red-haired goddess named Satine! Christian sighed as he watched her walk, ever so gracefully and seemingly so peaceful. All of a sudden Christian felt his pants tighten. His eyes widened, a little surprised by the affect Satine had on him and he fell to his bed.

~~

Satine felt like she was being watched, she looked around near the school first, no one then looked up at the house but saw no one at the window. Christian had fallen just before Satine looked to his house. Something in the back of Satine's mind had hoped he was watching her, but Satine quickly pushed it aside and continued walking.

~~Next Day~~

Nny walked into The Pit with her friends; M-chan, Smee, Anna, Ali-chan, Satine, Emily and Christian. Christian stayed near Satine, though at a distance as well. Zidler came up a jovial face on as he approached Nny.

"Nny, Nny-Nny!" Zidler said but was given a glare from all the girls. No one, especially Nny, liked it when people called Nny "Nny-Nny". Zidler apologized, "Oh, I'm sorry, Nny, my mistake! But allow me to say that we have found someone who can really help with the production! Allow me to introduce Mister Joseph Verger!"

From the dim lights of the dark hall stepped a rather tall and very handsome boy. He had blue eyes, a strong face and dark blonde hair. He smiled a very charming smile and said in a deep voice, "Hello."

"Hi," Nny said a little hostile-like. "Where are you from?"

"Sandia High School," Joseph said.

"And how did you hear of this production?"  
  


"My friend know Zidler's cousin and told me about it, and I immediately became interested," Joseph said. Nny nodded.

"Alright, what can you help with?"

"I can help with lighting, and I can help with music and dance," Joseph said.

"You don't sound like you're from New Mexico," Nny said.

"I transferred from California," Joseph explained. 

"Aah, well, Mr. Verger, let's see how good you are with the dance. Satine, if you would," Nny said taking Satine's hand. "Now watch carefully, Joseph, I wanna see if you can copy this dance."

With that, Nny started to do a small waltz with Satine. Joseph and Christian watched Satine as she moved gracefully following Nny's lead. But Christian also watched Nny so he would know the steps of the dance; he wanted to try this dance with Satine.

Nny and Satine stopped and turned to Joseph, Nny placed Satine beautiful soft hand into Joseph's larger and rougher hands. Joseph grinned and he kissed Satine's hand, "May I have this, fair lady?"

Satine smiled and said, "Certainly, sir."

Christian's stomach, he suddenly felt ill, he quickly outside. Christian leaned against a pillar totally lost in his thoughts. He bit his thumbnail, it was disgusting, the way Christian saw Joseph watch Satine as she danced. Then Christian wondered if he looked at her the same way. Oh God! He hoped not! He really did think that Satine was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but also the most kind, thoughtful, and best friend. He was amazed to see how protective she was of her friends and how far she was willing to go to defend them.

He couldn't stand seeing her dance with some other _guy at all! Especially some cad from California!!_

"Christian!" Nny nearly yelled for the fifth time. Christian snapped his head up to face Nny.

"Huh? Oh, ah, what is it?" He asked. Nny grinned.

"Oh, nothing I was just wondering why you needed some New Mexican fresh air," Nny asked.

"Oh, uh I was just getting a little, uh, claustrophobic, that's all," Christian stuttered.

"Oh really? At the exact moment that Satine danced with Joseph hmm?" Nny studied Christian's face a while. She grinned as she paced slowly around him, looking him up and down, "Oh, I see…yes, I see, jealousy has just crept into you little soul now, hasn't it? Heh, I see…I see, you like my best friend!"

"No!" Christian shot but it was to no avail, Nny could see right through him. Nny laughed and pulled him into a huge hug and then trotted back and balanced on a parking bumper. 

"You want to date my best friend, you want to don't you? I know it!" Nny said in a sing-song voice. "Oh the wheels in my head are turning and turning!"

"No, don't tell her! You won't tell her will you?" Christian asked. Nny shrugged.

"Well, I dunno, why shouldn't I?" Nny asked. 

"Because it's my secret, and you shouldn't even know about it!"

"Hm, you have a point," Nny said. "But still, why shouldn't I?"

"Why should you?" Christian said.

"Hm, you're right," Nny said putting her fingers to her chin as if thinking. Then she smiled and looked at him, "Alright then, I won't tell! I won't tell her or any other soul or body on this Earth or within it, I swear on my Native Pride and Scottish Blood!"

"Ah, thank you, Nny!" Christian pulled Nny into a huge hug. But she quickly slipped out of it.

"Hey, hey, I swore not to tell I suggest you make her do the same," Nny indicated to Anna who was hiding behind the pillar. Christian turned to her, already putting on the puppy dog innocent "please-don't-tell-pretty-please" face. Anna sighed and nodded as she stepped from behind the pillar.

"Alright, I swear by the Blood of my ancestors from the tribe of Judah that I will not tell anyone alive or dead on this Earth, within it or orbiting it," Anna said. Christian smiled and hugged her.

"Thank you!" Christian said then he walked back in the building. Nny grinned at Anna and she grinned back, just as evilly.

"We won't tell anyone at all," Nny said  balancing on one foot.

"But that doesn't mean we won't play," Anna said grinning.

"MATCHMAKERS!" Nny and Anna said raising the right hands in a "V" for "Victory" and standing next to each then proceeded to laugh evilly. 

~~

Satine was quite taken by this Joseph Verger and she didn't hesitate from telling her most trusted friends, Anna, Smee, M-chan, Ali-chan and Nny. Once they were told Smee, M-chan, and Ali-chan congratulated her very merrily, but Nny and Anna were only muttering their congrats and they exchanged an "oh damn, this is going to be a problem" look. 

"Oh, Nny, what did your sister write anyway?" Satine asked. Nny took out the letter and placed it in the middle of the table.

"She's coming by to visit this week," Nny said grinning a little. "Stoney'll be coming by this week, about Wednesday and she'll be staying for about two weeks."

"Oh that's great! We've all been so worried about your twin," Satine said reading the note. "She might not stay long enough for the show though."

"Yeah, so we'll just have to convince her to stay a little longer, won't we?" Smee said. They all grinned and nodded and laughed a little. Nny just shrugged.

"Eh, you know how she is, she doesn't like to stay in one place for more than a week, so it's kind of pushing it for her to be staying here for two weeks," Nny said as she took back her letter, folding it carefully and inserting it into her inside-coat pocket.

"So, where to eat tonight, girls?" Satine asked, obviously she was very happy. "I think it's your turn to choose, M-chan."

"Alright," M-chan said happily then pointed to the door as she got up, "to Carl's Jr.!!!"

"Haha, I thought so!" Smee said as they all got up and went out to the cars. 

"Which one?" Nny asked as she opened the door to her car.

"The one near Costco," M-chan said. 

"Shouldn't we invite, Joseph and Christian?" Satine asked.

"Do you know where Joseph lives?" Anna asked. Satine nodded. Anna leaned on the door of the passenger side as she looked over at Satine, "Where does he live then?"

Satine tossed her a piece of paper and jerked her head in the direction of the apartments near the Elementary School, "In the Pavilions."  
  


"Interesting, you've known him just a few hours and he's already given you his address, did you give him yours?" Nny asked. Satine nodded hesitantly. Nny sighed, she wasn't in the best of moods right now. "You're going to be spending the next few weeks at my house."

"Why?" Satine asked.

"Because, I don't trust this guy," she said. Satine sighed.

"I don't really care if you do or don't, Nny," Satine said. Everyone was silent, this certainly was different. "Nny, you can't choose who I'm going to be with, and you can't always find it your place to say what is and isn't good for me. I make the choice, Nny, not you. I will not stay at your place just because you don't trust this guy, who's name is Joseph Verger."  
  


"Satine…" Nny said not sure what to say.

"No, Nny, don't try to make up another excuse to not like this guy," Satine said. She turned to M-chan, "I'm sorry, M-chan, I think I'll just be eating at home tonight."

Then Satine walked up the street.

"Satine!" Nny called. "Hey, I'm just telling you my opinion!"  
  


"Yeah, and tell me where to stay due to your opinion? I think not, Nny! See you later!" Satine said and continued walking up the street, not looking back. Nny scowled and slammed the door shut.

"You guys go on by yourselves, I'm staying home tonight," Nny said. They looked at each other, without Nny or Satine it wouldn't be the same, so they all just decided to go home. M-chan stayed behind to talk to Nny. Nny was usually the "psychiatrist" to all her friends, but M-chan was her psychiatrist, the one person she could talk to about anything that she didn't even tell her own family.

M-chan walked in the door, "What's up with you, I certainly know it's more than just your suspicion and her refusal to listen."

"I can't say, I swore not to tell," Nny said. 

"How much did you swear?"

"I swore on my Native Pride and Scottish Blood," Nny said. M-chan nodded.

"I see," M-chan said, she knew not to press for an answer when Nny swore such an awesome promise. "But I sense a little something more."

Nny just looked up to her and then started to talk.

~~

_Every now and then_

_I find myself thinking of you again_

_You hold my heart right in your hand_

_Please never give it back to me again_

_And if it were to ever break_

_I will never have it to take_

_For all the million pieces of broken glass_

_Are for yours for my love will last_

_I can't stop thinking of your pretty face_

_You move with such a perfect grace_

_Please love will you be mine?_

_For I will love you until the end of time_

Christian's type-writer slowed down as he heard some yelling from next door. He looked out the window and saw all his friends in the drive way, though Satine was walking away. Satine yelled something at Nny, and then walked on in silence. The car doors slammed and Christian flinched at how loud it was. Christian watched Satine walk away wondering what the heck happened. He saw everyone start to leave so he walked downstairs and outside.

He looked around the now empty street but saw Satine's receding form up San Victorio and he followed. He walked up the street a bit, staying behind her but then stopped suddenly in his tracks when he saw her with…_Joseph._

Christian hid behind a large bush and watched to the two. Satine seemed a little sad but seemed to have been cheered up by the sight of Joseph. Christian scowled a bit, he could feel jealousy started to peek through but he quickly got up and walked back to his house.

~~

"Satine, hey how are you?" Satine heard a deep voice in front of her. She looked up and smiled as she saw Joseph.

"Oh, hi Joseph!" Satine said and gave him a hug. "I'm fine, how are you?"

"Oh, I'm great, I was just wondering, would you like to go out for dinner?" Joseph asked. Satine nodded and smiled.

"That would be great," she said.

~~

"So you just felt that feeling again hm?" M-chan asked after Nny spilled out everything except the promise she made to Christian. Nny nodded as she tossed M-chan a green apple. 

"I hate the feelings, I just hate them," Nny said. M-chan nodded, she knew her friend had been having problems with these feelings ever since eighth grade. She bit into the apple and leaned back on the banister casually.

"Well, you're not the only one with suspicions towards Joseph," M-chan said. "I mean, what exactly is a guy living in the El Dorado district doing attending Sandia High School? I mean, you can't even get in there from here. It's possible for La Cueva because we live just a few meters from the district border, Academy. But not for Sandia High School!"

"Exactly!" Nny said completely agreeing. "And Ra-damn it, I'm hungry! Let's go get something to eat."

Nny went up stairs a bit then came back bearing a wad of twenty dollar bills. She put them in her pocket the opened the door for M-chan then walked out.

"Where should we eat then?" M-chan asked. Nny shrugged then looked over towards Christian's house and saw Christian walking down the street.

She waved, "Oy, Christian, wanna join us for a dinner?"

Christian looked up and then nodded, "Yeah, sure…"

We walked over and got in the back. Nny pulled out quickly and drove up a bit then onto Klondike to Molly Brown then onto Spain. Nny was going around sixty mph in a thirty-five mph zone.

"Eh, Nny, don't you think you should slow down a bit?" Christian asked as he slid to the right as they turned left onto Wyoming.

"Are you kidding?" Nny said. "I'm going unusually slow…"

"You're joshing me!" Christian said. Nny and M-chan shook their heads. "So where are we going to go eat?"

"Monroe's!!" Nny said. M-chan smiled happily, she liked Monroe's almost as much as she loved Carl's Junior. 

"What kind of restaurant is that?"

"Ah, but what else, amigo? It be Mexican!!" Nny pronounced "Mexican" like "Mehican" as some people do in New Mexico and Mexico. 

"Ma-hee-can? You mean 'Mexican'?" Christian asked. 

"Yes, 'Mexican'," M-chan said. "Don't mind how Nny pronounces things, her accents change all the time, sometimes you wonder what her regular voice is."

"Oh," Christian looked out the window at the passing Golf Course. Christian scowled at the golf course, oh, he hated golf. It was a dreadfully boring sport and confusing at that! All those "pars" and…and…er sand traps and lakes and what not! Christian didn't do good at golf, but that wasn't the only reason he didn't like it. "Golf sucks…"

"I hear ya," Nny said. "Golf is so stupid."

"Why do you think that?" Christian asked.

"My Dad was always occupied with golf, sometimes I felt like he loved that game more than my family or me," Nny said. Christian nodded.

"Same here!" Christian said, somewhat surprised but more in a raised voice showing how much he agreed. "Even though my Dad was traveling a lot, he'd always talk about the Golf Courses in those different towns and countries! He'd talk about it to me over the phone when he called at my Academy, and at Grandmother's house. It always annoyed me, and everyone, well almost everyone, would talk about 'how they did at the course' yesterday or during the weekend."

"Poor you," Nny said. "You lived in England, just surrounded by bloody golf."

"What's your opinion on this, M-chan?" Christian asked. All of a sudden the car screeched to a halt. Nny turned back to him.

"You shall not call M-chan 'M-chan' until you've known her for a longer time than three bloody days, you hear? For now you'll call her Melissa," Nny said. Christian nodded.

"Sorry, I didn't know," Christian said. Then he looked to M-chan who was looking at Monroe's, so close, yet so far. "So what is your opinion on Golf, Melissa?"

"Food," M-chan said. She looked at Nny, "Go on, go park and then we can go eat at Monroe's!!"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Nny pulled forward into the parking lot of Monroe's and parked. They got out of the car.

"Well, honestly, Christian," M-chan began her answer to Christian's question, "I really have no opinion. My family's never been into golf, I do find it a boring sport, but I don't base a hate of something for such a little reason as that. So, really, I don't care about golf, I don't find it interesting, but that doesn't mean that I hate it."

Christian nodded, "Very interesting, and really somewhat wise."

"Yeah, M-chan's like that," Nny said. "She can be incredibly clueless one minute and then an absolute wise person, incredibly smart, the next."

"Aren't we all like that at sometimes?" Christian said. Nny nodded.

"Yes, but it happens a lot to M-chan…must be her Scottish side, the commonly known thing called common sense," Nny said.

"Er, I'm not Scottish," M-chan said. 

"…"

"So?" Christian said. "I'm sure it's just from being around Scottish people then, like me."

"Haha! Oh yeah, three days with you and everyone has Common Sense!" M-chan said. Nny stopped dead in tracks and M-chan bumped into her. "Oof, hey what's up?"

"It's Satine!" Nny pointed to the window. "What the heck is she doing here?"

"Well, there could be the chance that it's a date," M-chan said. "Look there, isn't that that new guy Joseph?"

"Argh, yes it is!" Nny said. She turned around, "Let's eat somewhere else."

M-chan ran in front of her, "No, no, no, no, NO!!! We are not going anywhere else, good food be had _now_!!"

"But, but, she doesn't want to put up with my presence, did you see the fight we got in today eh? Or did you have one of your clueless moments?" Nny said. M-chan slapped her across the face. Nny held her reddening cheek, a little shocked from M-chan's reaction, but then again, Nny's tone of voice wasn't all that nice…okay it wasn't nice at all.

"S-chan, calm the frikkin' hell down!" M-chan said. "I'm sure Satine will put up with your presence if we stay on the other side of the restaurant."

"Okay," Nny agreed. Then they looked at Christian who already was entering the stucco building. Nny and M-chan quickly followed Christian, coming in only a few seconds after him.

"Three," Christian said to the waiter. He nodded and showed them some available seats just near the windows. Christian immediately took the one in the corner where the seat along the wall continued into a nook. Nny and M-chan sat down.

"Exactly what are you doing?" Nny asked as she watched Christian keep a menu nearly plastered to his face. "Do you need glasses to read or something?"

"No, just keeping a low profile," Christian said peeking over the menu and looking at Satine. Nny followed his gaze and grinned. M-chan quickly caught on and made "ooh, that's what it was…" look. Nny shot her a "don't mention it or die!" look and M-chan caught on again.

"Hmm, y'don't need to keep low profile," Nny said. "She's not mad at you, she's mad at me."

"Perhaps I should just call her over here for both of you," M-chan said. 

"NO!" they both shouted a little to loudly. Satine looked over at them, her eyes widened a bit, then she made to look like she hadn't noticed them, or didn't want to be noticed by them.

"What's the matter?" Joseph asked leaning in.

"Those people over there, I got in a fight with the one in the hat this morning," Satine said. "I don't really want to converse with them at the moment."

"Oh, hmm," Joseph got up and went over to Nny. He pointed to her, "you."

Nny looked at his finger, then looked at M-chan and indignantly as if offended she said, "He's POINTING at me!"

"Ooh, isn't that so bad? I do not apologize, bitch," Joseph said. M-chan's eyes went wide. Christian peeked over the menu to look at Joseph and Nny ready to go into a battle of wits. "You're disturbing my girlfriend. Get out of here."

"Hey, I don't have to go anywhere, buddy, I dun give a damn if I'm scaring children with my face," Nny said. "I don't have to leave, so piss off."

Joseph raised his hand, just then Satine came up, "Joseph don't!"

Joseph brought his hand down, "Sorry."

"Let's just go," Satine said.

"Satine, wait," Nny said. Satine turned to her. "I really don't think you should go with this guy…"

"I don't care what you think, Nny," Satine said. "You aren't my mother, you don't control."

"S-Satine," Christian said quietly. Satine looked at him just now noticing that he was here. "I really don't like your going with Joseph either, after he made an attempt to hit Nny, I'm afraid, I mean, what if he tries to hit you too? Just be careful, please?"

Satine had locked eyes with Christian, and wow, Satine felt like  butterflies filled her stomach. Ah, he cared for her, that was so sweet. Satine couldn't help but smile a bit and she nodded, "I will, thanks, Christian."

Christian smiled a little, his face turning a bit red. Satine walked off then. Nny turned to Christian, "How the hell…"

"I dunno," Christian shrugged.

M-chan, the only sitting down, took out the menu and said, "Let's eat now!"

"Okay," Nny and Christian sat down.

Christian looked out the window as M-chan and Nny talked about the upcoming show. Christian smiled a bit as he saw Satine look at him and smile and wave a bit before getting into Joseph's Corvette. Christian watched them leaving, wishing it was him with Satine and not Joseph.

~~End Chapter~~

Wow, fourteen pages! Okay, I end here. I'll update again sometime, just that SOMEONE **looks at Anna** wanted me to update immediately. Well, I have to write Chapter Five now, so see ya laters.

Bohowave, the chat for 

The URL is also in my bio…

Jester


	6. Chapter Six: Taking the Chance

**High School Life**

~~Begin Chapter~~

"No, no, no! Those go over there! Those AFI CDs, they go over there! No, not there, there! Argh! Can't you people see? That's it, move, let me handle this!" Anna stomped over to the guys who were arranging the DJ stand. Anna mumbled to herself, "The punishment for having men do a woman's job…"

"Sorry, Anna," Jacob mumbled as Anna grabbed the crate of CDs. She didn't know why Nny insisted on having ten copies of each AFI CD. Jacob stepped back and watched Anna haul the crate near the DJ stand on the right side. Jacob was a tall boy, brown hair in a style like Christian's and had semi-dark skin and green eyes. He was quite handsome and sweet, he had a bad reputation as a playboy, no one knew how he got that reputation, because he was still a virgin.

"S'okay," Anna said, "Next time, just look to where I'm pointing." 

Jacob nodded and stepped aside out of Anna's path. Jacob watched her walk on, then he adjusted his necklace and walked behind her. He was her little slave, always doing whatever she said, but he had no complaints to do so, since he was near her an' all. 

From the top of the seats, in the balcony of the Pit, Nny watched with M-chan on her right and Christian on her left. Nny grinned a bit, "Looks like Jacob's got it for Anna, don't it?"

M-chan nodded, "Yes, obviously, just look at how he looks at her. It's not a lust filled look I tell you, looks like he actually cares."

"Yeah, unlike that last jerk, Richard, ooh, have you heard how he is?" Nny asked.

"Uh, he gets out of the hospital tomorrow," M-chan said.

"Ah, I sorta feel sorry for breaking his legs in three places," Nny said. Christian's eyes widened upon hearing this. Obviously Nny didn't take kindly to people who hurt her friends. "I mean, he used to be really cool, we even let him hang with us, but after just using Anna like that, jeeze, I don't feel sorry anymore…"

"Yeah, well you weren't the one who stomped on his balls," M-chan said. Nny cackled.

"Oh yeah, Satine was pissed off, I was amazed to see her do that! Holy Crap, the look on his face!" Nny laughed. M-chan laughed as well. "And when you broke his arms, jeeze, M-chan, we had to keep you from pulling the knife out!"

Christian squirmed, his Satine…well not his Satine, but the Satine he loved was capable of doing that? Thinking about it made him all the more attracted to her, a woman who could deal for herself, he grinned. 

"Hey Tin, you gonna go with us?" Nny asked for the third time.

"Huh? Wha-? Where?" Christian asked.

"We're gonna pick Satine up," Nny said. Christian nodded.

"Sure!" Christian got up and followed them. Of course, he was putting his life on the line, going out in the car with Nny at the wheel, it was near suicide, but anything to sit next to Satine, at least be near her.

Just as they reached the door to the Pit, Joseph and Satine walked in…_hand in hand_. Nny, M-chan and Christian stopped.

"Satine," Nny said eyeing Joseph suspiciously, "We were just about to go after you."

"Oh well, I got a ride from Joseph," Satine said.

"A ride from Joseph?" Nny asked. "Hmm, fine."

"Hey, Chris, how are you?" Satine asked. Christian smiled shyly.

"Uh, Satine, I think you should get ready now, it's rehearsal time."

"Oh, okay," Satine said. 

"I'll walk with you to your room," Nny said.

"Oh, no, Joseph can walk with me," Satine said. Nny balled up her fists.

"Seriously, Satine, I'd like to speak to you alone," Nny said.

"Joseph will go with me," Satine said. Satine and Nny locked eyes, a battle raging between them. Christian then cut in.

"Satine, can I walk with you to your room? Just so I can know how to get around an' all?" Christian asked a bit meekly but audibly. Satine looked at him and Nny glared at Joseph who was preoccupied with looking at Satine.

"Certainly," Satine said. "You two can be my escorts!" Satine laughed.

Christian smiled upon hearing her laugh, it made him want to melt. He held out his arm and she took it. Joseph glared icily at Christian for a second then looked ahead and the three of them walked off. 

Nny threw her fist into the wall, putting a dent in it, "DAMN IT!"

"S-chan, calm down!" M-chan said. "Calm down, now."

"Did you see the way Joseph looked at her?! Pure lust in his ra-damned beedy little eyes!" Nny yelled. "I don't trust him in the least bit! How can Satine possibly be going with that guy? Especially if she has a guy like Christian just ready and willing to die for her!"

"How would you know that?" M-chan asked.

"You haven't looked at Christian when he looks at Satine have you?" Nny asked.

"No, I'm too preoccupied with glaring at Joseph," M-chan said.

"Well, I have," Nny said. "It's right in his eyes. He loves her, definitely loves her."

"I've seen it too," came a lispy voice. Nny turned to the speaker, Toulouse wobbled up.

"Toulouse!" Nny said. "Were you listening in on us?"

"Sad to say," Toulouse said brushing off some dust and hair from his shirt. "Got put in the trash half an hour ago, by that big guy, Eric."

"Eric? Eric Wile?" Nny asked. Toulouse nodded.

"The stupid idiot," Nny said, "He's nothing but an asshole, we'll deal with him later."

"Yes, well, I wanted to talk to you, about Christian and Satine, and Joseph," Toulouse said. Nny nodded. "In private, just you, me, her, and Anna."

Nny nodded, she walked over to the banister and yelled, "AANNAA!!!"

Anna looked up from the DJ stand, "What?!"

"Get up here! We have to talk!" Nny yelled. Anna put the CDs she was organizing down and turned to Jacob.

"Organize these, alphabetical order," Anna said.

"Yes, Anna," Jacob said. Anna walked across the floor and up the stairs to Nny.

"What is it?"

"This way," Nny lead her, and M-chan over to Toulouse outside. "Speak Toulouse."

"Well, I've grown suspicious of that Joseph character for some time now," Toulouse said. "Have you noticed that Mr. Duke isn't at school anymore? And that Joseph came when Mr. Duke left?"

"You think Joseph is Mr. Duke?!" Anna asked.

"No, no," Toulouse said. "But I think he may work for Mr. Duke. There's no way Mr. Duke could change his ratty looks to look like Joseph, I know that."

Nny nodded, "So you think, Joseph may be someone trying to get to us, through Satine, to ruin everything?"

"Yes," Toulouse said. "And I think Mr. Duke is only gone, so it doesn't seem like there's a connection between him and Joseph."

"Serious thinking, Toulouse," Anna said. "And a good thought. I think we should be more careful with Joseph around now."

"Me too, I've always felt so suspicious of him," M-chan said. 

"And Christian," Toulouse said. "I think you should really match him up with Satine, and make Satine fall in love with Christian, so then she'll leave Joseph, so then we can just toss him out, throw him away."

"Hm, that's a good though, and it would also give us more motivation to hook those two up besides the great reason of love an' all," Nny said. Anna nodded in agreement.

"So let's do it," Anna said. "We'll match those two together no matter what!"

"Yeah!"

~~Elsewhere~~

As they walked down the hall, Joseph started to kiss along Satine's neck, Satine didn't like this and tried to shake him off, but Joseph persisted. Finally Christian said, "Would you stop doing that please? It's disturbing me."

Christian's voice quivered from jealousy and annoyance.

"Back off," Joseph said. "You're not the boss of me."

Joseph's voice all of a sudden went high and Satine and Christian looked up  him. Joseph put a hand to his mouth then said, "Excuse me…"

He quickly ran back up the hall to the bathroom. Satine and Christian shared a look, confused and weirded out by Joseph's sudden change of voice.

"That was strange," Satine said. Christian nodded, he pulled Satine gently by her waist down the hall.

  
"Come on, I think you should get ready now, I don't think Nny would be happy if you were late or something," Christian said. Satine nodded and let Christian lead her to her dressing room, even though he didn't know where it was. 

Christian looked so cute as he was confused on where to go he kept looking up and down the hall mumbling to himself, "which way? That way..no..maybe that way..aah…"

Satine chuckled lightly, she pulled him by the neck to the left, "This way."

"Oh," Christian smiled boyishly. Satine stopped in front of a door, red like all the others, but a strip of duct tape on it said "Satine".  

She opened the door and turned to Christian, who was about to go in, "You wait out here."

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Christian blushed Satine laughed again and closed the door. Christian finally remembered to breath and he leaned against the door, his ear pressed against and he made an unseen pattern with his finger on the door. He stood there leaning against the door, just closing his eyes and waiting. Then he leaned against the wall, luckily, just when Satine opened the door.

Christian was breath taken at Satine's complete and utter beauty. She was dressed in a sparkling corset, like she wore when she sang "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". Her lips were as red as her fiery hair, and her beauty could not be compared.

"What do you think?" Satine asked twirling around. Christian, not knowing his mouth was open, tried to speak but couldn't. His jaw moved, some sounds came out, but no words. Satine giggled, "I take it that's a good thing?"

Christian just nodded.

"Whoa, baby, you look hot," Joseph's strong _deep voice said from down the hall. Satine turned to Joseph, she smiled her Sparkling Diamond smile._

"Thank you," Satine said and walked over to him. Christian finally snapped into reality and saw Joseph there as well. He didn't want that, Joseph ruined the picture, he wanted to see just Satine again. Only Satine. 

Christian walked down the hall slowly, but the speeded up to catch up with Satine…and…that other guy, Joseph. Seeing Satine like that just made him want to sing;

_I will love you_

_Until my dying day!_

But alas, Christian swallowed the words, maintaining control of himself. Christian walked right beside Satine again, so he would be tempted to look at her in inappropriate places, he didn't want to go shallow.

~~

"Finally you're ready!" Nny said holing a cigar in hand. She turned to Juarez, "If I ever see you smoking a Cuban Cigar again I'm going to pound your head into a wall!"

She dropped the cigar and smashed it. She turned to Satine, "Now, get on the swing and perform."

Nny walked back over to the Balcony and took her seat. Satine rolled her eyes, she didn't know why Nny had to be so picky about her life. She turned to Christian, "Would you help me get on the swing?"

Christian nodded. Joseph said, "I'll help you, Satine. Christian, I think Nny wants to talk to you."

Christian looked over at Nny who was looking down at the Pit floor, when he looked back at Satine again, she wasn't there. She was walking off, Joseph taking her. Christian felt rage boil up inside he was about to walk over there and just beat Joseph up when Zidler intervined, "Dearest Christian!"

Christian looked at him funny and stepped away, "What?"

"Good Chris, I was wondering if I could see some of your writing! I hear you're quite the writer!"

"Uh, I don't have any of my writing with me," Christian said. "Sorry."

"Oh, that's a shame! Some other time then?"

"Okay…"

Zidler walked away, and Christian went after Satine again, but she was gone, already up in the rafters, sitting on the swing.

Christian walked over to the balcony then and sat on Nny's left again and watched the show.

~~

Nny walked up to Satine after rehearsals, holding another cigar, behind her, Juarez was leaning against the wall, pinching his bloody nose. She dropped it and smashed it again and talked to Satine, "Great job, today, Sats. A performance like that and we'll be having people shouting for encores! Well done!"

"Thank you" Satine said.

"Good job," Christian said smiling. "It was brilliant, you have the most amazing voice I've ever heard."

"Thank you!" Satine said smiling. Nny looked at the watch that wasn't on her wrist and then out the window.

"Time to go home," Nny said she took a megaphone from Anna and walked to the banister, "Alright, day's done, boys and girls, Pit's closed, go home!"

Everyone sighed in relief and set down everything they were doing. They took out huge sheets and tossed them over everything then slowly, everyone was gone, Nny, M-chan, Satine, Joseph, Anna, and Christian were that last to leave. Nny locked the doors and walked to her car, M-chan and Christian following.

Satine was walking with Joseph to his corvette, when Christian called, "Miss Satine, would you like to come with us? We can go by McDonalds or something, get dessert…"

Satine smiled, and walked over to him, "Sure."

"Satine!" Joseph called.

"I'll see you later, Joseph!" Satine called.

  
Joseph didn't give up so easily though, he ran over to Satine, "But, Satine, I had plans for us tonight. Something romantic, something nice, just me and you. Please?"

Joseph put on a pout face that rivaled Christian's. Satine thought a moment, and nodded, "Okay."

Christian slumped his shoulders as Satine walked away with Joseph, yet again…

Christian walked to Nny's car and sat in the back, not talking as M-chan and Nny talked to each other, in Spanish.

(Translted) "Did you see how Satine just gave into Joseph?" Nny asked.

"yeah," M-chan said. "It was sickening."

"Absolutely!" Nny said. "I don't trust him, I think I should've forced her to come with us."

"No, no, Nny, she has her own life, respect that, but I still am suspicious of Joseph."

"Yeah."

(End Translation)

Christian watched the street lights go by in a blur as the loud AFI music seemed to just be in the background.

_I, I came everyday I left here in darkness_

_And Found you, found you on the way_

_And now _

_It is silver and silent_

_Is is silver and cold_

_In somber resplendence, I hold!_

_Your sins into me  
Oh, my beautiful one  
Your sins into me  
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer  
And I'll beg for forgiveness  
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me  
Oh, my beautiful one_

Christian looked up at the barely visible stars and wondered, what was Satine doing now? 

_Light, like the flutter of wings, feel your hollow voice rushing into me  
As you're longing to sing  
So I... I will paint you in silver, I will wrap you in cold  
I will lift up your voice as I sink_

_Your sins into me  
Oh, my beautiful one, now  
Your sins into me  
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer  
And I'll beg for forgiveness  
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me  
  
Cold in life's throws, I'll fall asleep for you  
Cold in life's throws, I only ask you turn away  
Cold in life's throws, I'll fall asleep for you  
Cold in life's throws, I only ask you turn  
As they seep... into me, oh, my beautiful one, now  
  
Your sins into me  
Oh, my beautiful one  
Your sins into me  
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer  
And I'll beg for forgiveness  
(Your sins into me)  
Your sins into me... oh  
  
Your sins into me  
Oh, my beautiful one, now  
Your sins into me  
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer  
And I'll beg for forgiveness  
(Your sins into me) Your sins into...  
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me  
Oh, my beautiful one_

Finally Nny pulled into her drive way, and turned off the car. Christian got out and walked to his house. His parents weren't home, they had gone on vacation yesterday, taking his brother with them, Christian chose to stay so he could "get a full education". What a load of bull that was! He just wanted to stay with Satine.

"See ya tomorrow, Tin," Nny said. "Be up early to go to school, it's Monday after all."

"No, S-chan, it's Fall break remember?" M-chan said.

"Oh yeah…okay…" Nny said. "G'night…"

Nny went into her house. Christian was about to go into his, then decided to take a walk in the park. He quickly crossed the street and took a walk through the park. He looked up at the sky, the stars were bright out here in the suburbs, the lone street lamp on San Victorio was out, and all the street houses had their porch lights off. It was late at night, and the streets were calm and quiet. Christian lay on the slanted concrete and looked up at the sky. He want to sing, sing a song for his love, the one he loved, Satine.

_My Gift is my song…_

_And this one's for you_

_And you can tell everybody _

_That this is your song_

_It may be quite simple but_

_Now that it's done_

_Hope you don't mind_

_I hope you don't mind _

_That I put down in the words_

_How wonderful life is, now you're in the world…_

(NOTE: Elton John does not exist in this world…haha…Sorry Elton-fans…)

Christian fell into a small sleep, with dreams of Satine, and only Satine. He slept for an hour and half, before a rain started. It was cold rain, that's always how it is. Christian got up and walked back to his house, he put his key in the lock and walked inside. He went to the kitchen and started to heat up some water and took out some hot cocoa. Suddenly, he remembered the song he sang at the park and he ran up stairs and sat at his typewriter and typed it all down. All of the song, what he sang, and more, and he smiled, it was good. 

He got up and walked back down stairs and poured the water in the cup and then added the cocoa powder and stirred. He sipped carefully at the cup, not wanting to burn his lips. He sat at the stair well, in the darkness of the big house. He wasn't afraid, for his thoughts were on Satine. 

Just then, he saw a figured at the window by the door, a small, thing figure. He set his cup down on a table and walked to the door. He wasn't ready to take on a burglar, but then again, he was…no, he was just neutral, perhaps the figure would run when the door opened. 

Christian put a shaky hand on the knob and turned it. Opening the door he looked about, no one, but he felt someone fall against his feet. He looked down in surprise, ready to kick, but didn't the moment he saw the fiery red hair.

"S-satine!" Christian gasped. Satine looked up at him, she had a bloody nose, and there was a bruise near her eye. "SATINE!"

~~Earlier~~

Satine wandered the streets a while after being dropped off on Lowell from the City Bus. She sobbed slightly as she held her cheek. She couldn't believe it, how forceful and just plain…mean he was. She had to talk to someone, to Nny…no, she'd just go "I told you! Now I'm going to go kick his ass!"

She didn't need the hard wall of Nny, Nny was a good friend and all, but she had trouble sympathizing with people. Satine sighed, she needed someone who would comfort her, and she knew she wouldn't get that, well, not exactly that from Nny, or from Joseph.

She didn't know how she ended up at his place though, she just did. Her feet just led her there. She tried looking in the window, but it was too dark, and the rain on the window didn't help with the view. She leaned her back against the door and slid down, sobbing.

Then the door opened and she heard Christian's voice.

"Satine, what happened to you?" Christian asked bending down to help her up. "Wh-who did this to you?"

"J-Joseph," Satine sobbed. Christian hugged her.

"Sh-sh, it's alright," Christian said. He rubbed her back, making little circles, massaging her back. "It's alright, I won't let him hurt you."

"He was being good one moment, then the next he was trying to have sex with me, and-and, oh god," Satine sobbed on Christian's shoulder. Christian couldn't believe it, how could anyone want to do anything to Satine that she didn't want done? So much rage filled him, he wanted to tear Joseph to shreads, but right now, Satine needed comfort, and that's what he would do. 

Christian led her to the kitchen, "Here Satine, sit down, would you like some Hot Cocoa?"

Satine nodded slightly, wiping her eyes. Christian made her a cup and gave it to her, she smiled slightly, "Thanks."

"M-hm," Christian said. He took some ice from the freezer and wrapped it in a cloth and applied it to Satine's cheek, "Hold it there."

Satine did so as Christian took out some First aid kit and cleaned the blood from Satine's nose and lips, "I can't believe anyone would want to hurt you."

Satine didn't say anything.

"I mean, why would they? You're such a nice person, and you're so beautiful."

Satine looked at him, Christian suddenly realized that he shouldn't be trying to flirt, but he couldn't help but to say those things.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't be saying those things," Christian said putting the first aid away after finishing with Satine's nose.

"Thank you," Satine said. Christian nodded.

"Absolutely," Christian said taking a seat next to her after retrieving his own cup of cocoa. Christian stared into Satine's eyes, she stared back. "S-Satine, I-"

"Yes?"

"I," Christian wanted to say 'I love you! I love you more than words can say! I want to hold you in my arms forever, and never let anyone hurt you ever again!' but ended up saying "I think, you should go home now…"

"Oh," Satine said looking down. "Right…Thanks, Christian. Good-bye."

"G-good-bye?" Christian asked.

"See you later," Satine corrected and then walked out the door and back to her place.

Christian stood at the door watching her leave. He lowered his eyes, had he just hurt her? Probably…

"Yeah, you did, you moron," Nny said. Christian looked up at her. Nny pushed him into his house. "What the hell are you doing staying here?"

"S-satine, she should be home, so her family isn't worried, an' all," Christian stuttered.

"Fuck that!" Nny said. "Tin you have the chance to show her that you love her! Take it! Take the chance!"

"But-"

"No! No buts! You go after her! Take the chance, it's the chance of a lifetime, Tin! Believe me, you don't want to miss this chance. Don't make this mistake, Christian!" Nny now started to use his real name. "Believe me, you don't give up chances! I know! I had the chance to save my parents! They had gotten in the wreck in front of my very eyes, but I didn't help them at all, I thought, 'Oh they'll make it, they always do' but they didn't! I gave up the chance to save them! I left, I walked away from the chance! Now, now you're just standing here, not taking the chance to live a real happy life! Go to her Christian! Go to her!"

Nny stepped aside. Christian was shocked by Nny's story. But moved, and he looked at her, "You sure?"

"Of course, I see it in your eyes, you really love her," Nny said. "Go to her."

Christian nodded and ran out the door. Nny walked out the house, making sure the door was unlocked and closed the door and walked back to the wall between her house and Christian's, her own thinking place.

~~

"Satine! Satine!" Christian called as he ran up the street after Satine.

"What?" Satine asked as Christian ran up.

"Satine, Satine, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you out like that!" Christian said. "Satine, I have to tell you something."

"what is it?"

"Satine, I love you!" Christian shouted. Satine stopped in her tracks, looking at the ground, Christian beside her. Christian stepped in front of her and life her gaze to meet his. "I love you Satine, I've loved you since I met you. I will love you until my dying day, Satine, I want to hold you in my arms, and never let anyone hurt you again! Satine, I love you more than words could possibly ever describe!"

"Christian," Satine sighed. 

"And I don't want to leave you," Christian said. "I stayed here, giving up the chance of going back to England for a while so I could be with you, and just you. I love you."

Satine sobbed again. Christian panicked, "Oh, Satine, I didn't mean to make you cry!"

"No, no," Satine said. "I've just never had any say those things to me before, they're beautiful."

"You're beautiful," Christian said. Satine locked eyes with him, he leaned to her and she leaned to him, and they lips touched, slightly, then more, as they kissed. Lightly at first, then more fiercly and passionately, finally, only for air, they broke apart. Christian nuzzled her neck, taking in her fine scent, then whispered into her ear, "I don't want you to leave…"

"I don't want to leave," Satine said. They kissed again and walked back to Christian's house. Still kissing, Christian opened the door and they stumbled in. Christian quickly kicked the door closed and locked it, and continued to kiss Satine.

He pulled back, hesitant, "Satine, I don't want to rush you…I don't want to do anything you don't want me to…"

"It's alright," Satine said kissing his cheek. Christian kissed her cheek, her nose her eyes her chin then her lips. Christian picked her up, Satine laughed in delight, and he carried her upstairs, where, for the first time for each other them, they would experience a passion, a love, an art with so much passion and affection, they would have never known could exist, if Christian hadn't taken the chance.

~~End Chapter~~

Thirteen Pages! Haha, all in one night! W00tage! Ooh, and look, I updated quickly as well! Now, go to my bio, and join BohoWave!! W00tage! Okay, yeah, I'll be working on Chapter…uh, seven I think, tomorrow. Just because Christian and Satine are together now, doesn't mean that there isn't more to come! Haha! Until next time, on **High School Life**!!

Jester


	7. Chapter Seven: Departure

**High School Life**

~~Being Chapter~~

A rapid typing noise was what woke Satine up so early in the morning, when the sun wasn't even near the mountains. She looked over, in the dark room where only moonlight was the light, and saw Christian typing on his typewriter.

She sat up a bit, then just realized how her hair may be messed, how she may seem unattractive in all aspects! What? She never really cared about that before! Why now? She patted her hair down a bit and said, "I must look horrible."

Christian jumped at her voice, but calmed immediately and turned to her. He looked her over, how the sheet was sliding slightly from her pale, thin body, and how she pulled her fiery red hair back, her ice blue eyes looking at him. He smiled and walked to her, taking her hands in his, he pulled her to him and said, "No, you look wonderful, spectacular. I bathe in your radiance."

Satine smiled, aw, what did she do to get him? Well, whatever it was, Satine was repeating a thank you to God in her head. She felt so secure in Chrisitan's strong arms, being so close to him, and thinking of just a few hours before, she shivered.

  
Christian pulled her closer, "Are you cold, darling?"

_Darling?__ Did he call me "darling"? AH! That's so cute, he's so..perfect, Satine thought, smiling to herself. "Not really."_

Christian got up and took Satine with him, in his arms. He walked out the door and smiled and said, "Then I'll make you some Hot Cocoa."

Satine smiled, "That would be great."

Christian kissed her as he walked down the stairs, not missing a step. He sat her down in a chair and set to make the hot cocoa. He made himself a cup as well, and sat down at the table with her.

They drank in silence, both in utter happiness to just be near each other.

"Have you ever seen a New Mexican sunrise?" Satine asked after she finished her cup. Christian shook his head and finished his hot cocoa. Satine looked at the time and smiled, she grabbed Christian's hand, "Hurry then! Let's get dressed and make another cup of hot cocoa!"

"Okay," Christian said, letting her lead him.

~~At Nny's House~~

Nny sat in the backyard, laying on the couch in the back, watching the stars fade, and petting her dog that lay on her stomach. She sighed, and said, "Binks, do you think Christian and Satine will stay together forever?"

Bink lifted her head, perked her ears and looked at Nny in the eyes. She wagged her tail and barked twice happily. Nny smiled, "I think they will too."

~~At the park~~

Satine helped Christian keep his balance on the rainbow bars in the park. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her. She took a sip of the one cup of cocoa that Christian made. 

"This is my favorite place in all of Albuquerque," Satine said. Christian looked around.

"It's interesting," Christian said. "I would think most people would choose something like the tram, or the riverside. But a park…"

"You'll see," Satine said pointing to the mountains. "You'll see."

Christian nodded; he didn't doubt Satine a bit. If she liked it, then surely there was a magnificent reason. Then Christian's breath was taken away as he saw the sun rise. The sun peeked the mountain crest, and a run of silver ran across the top, the most beautiful sun rise, and then, the sun's golden rays shot into Albuquerque giving everything life and color and beauty on to its own. 

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Satine asked. Christian nodded.

"It's almost as beautiful as you," Christian said kissing the top of Satine's head. Satine sighed happily. "I love you."

"I love you too."

The two young lovers stayed there for a while, only enjoying each other's company and warmth. 

~~At nny's house~~

"YOU HAVE TO BE BLOODY KIDDING ME!" Nny shouted. 

"I'm not!" Davey said. "They said it was so, and we'll have to. There's nothing I can do about it! It's not my fault anyway!"

"YOU SIGNED UP TO BE A MARINE, IT IS YOUR FAULT!" Nny yelled.

"SIGNED UP, BUT I HAD THE CHANCE TO LEAVE BUT I STAYED ON TO HAVE MORE MONEY TO HELP SUPPORT YOU!" Davey yelled. Nny winced, it had be a long, long time since Davey ever yelled at her. Davey sighed, "I'm sorry, little sis', I didn't mean to yell. But there's nothing I can do about it, I'm sorry."

"When?"

"Three days, including today."

"Might as well have told you to move tomorrow.." Nny said. "Where?"

"Glasgow, Scotland," Davey said.

"What? Scotland?!"

"Yes."

"What about Binks?"

"She can't go with us."

"What?! Why not?" Nny nearly yelled.

"Because they won't let her, for a dog to fly on the plane, it cost extra, they won't pay for it, and I can't afford to, sorry."

"I guess M-chan or Smee could take care of her…"

"The movers will be here today, at about one, so you can go and say good bye to your friends. Be back here by one, and I am sorry, Nny, I really am."

"Right." Nny said as she grabbed the leash, called her dog, and went out the door with her keys in hand. Nny walked down the street to M-Chan's house. She knocked on the door a bit angrily.

M-chan answered, "What?"

M-chan's hair was a bit messed, her eyes squinted from the bright light and she was a bit irate to have been woken so early. Nny sighed.

"I'm not sure how I'm going to say this, but," Nny said. "I'm moving…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" M-chan yelled.

~~In the park~~

Christian and Satine jumped upon hearing a loud yell. They looked down the street and saw Nny running to the front lawn of M-chan's house, holding her ears. M-chan followed shortly after.

"What is going on?" Satine thought aloud. "Let's go."

  
"Alright," Christian said following her. They walked over, and looked around. M-chan was on the ground saying "no, no, no" a lot and Nny was standing in the street looking scared and sorry, something they'd not seen on her face for a long time. 

"What's going on?" Satine asked. M-chan pointed to Nny.

"Sh-she's…no, she can't!" M-chan mumbled.

Satine looked at Nny, "What?"

Nny stepped back a bit hugging herself,  "I-I'm…I'm moving…"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" M-chan yelled. "It's a lie! You're just joking!"

There was no trying to smile, there was no waiting for Nny to crack a grin and yell "Psyche!" there was no talking, just staring. Nny was moving.

_THUD!_ They gathered around Satine.

~*~*~*

Satine woke up later in Nny's bed, she looked around the room, seeing all the AFI posters and drawings littering the wall and the writings pinned to the wall. Christian came into the room and smiled, "You're awake!"

"What happened?" Satine asked holding her head. Christian sat next to her.

"You fainted, when Nny said that she was moving," Christian said giving her a light hug. "You gasped and fainted, as if you stopped breathing."

"I can't believe she's moving. How could she? I mean, jeeze, she and I have been friends since grade school! Why must she move?" Satine asked. Christian nodded understandingly, knowing what it was like to leave his friends-for-life. "She had kept me safe from the politically insane, and she helped everyone, why is she leaving?"

"Sh,sh, Satine, it's alright, you two can still keep in touch," Christian said. "You can call each other, and e-mail and write…"

"What's going to happen to the party though?" Satine asked. Christian shrugged.

"Nny is going over that right now with Anna and Sam," Christian said. "Would you like to go downstairs?"

Satine nodded ready to get up, but Christian picked her and she laughed as he carried her downstairs. Nny was on the phone nodded and talking. M-chan was at the counter, her head resting on the place mat, sighing a lot.

"Alright, alright, yes, it's going as planned, yes you're in charge. Yes, Zidler may have some say in it…no, you can lay it all on him, he'll start prostitution! You know how he is! C'mon Anna, I know dealing with music is enough trouble, but I'm sure you can take care of this! Yes, M-chan and Smee will help you, don't worry it's not hard!" Nny said. "Yes. Okay. Yeah, yeah…alright, see ya then."

Nny hung up the phone and put it on the hook. She turned to everyone, "Hey Satine…Uhm, we have to go to meet Anna and Smee at Wendy's. Let's go."

They followed her out to the car and they drove off to Wendy's, AFI music blasting as usual. No one talked as Nny drove downtown to some Wendy's. Nny stopped the car and they poured out and walked into the Wendy's. 

Nny sat in a booth across from Anna and Smee, M-chan and the others sat at a table near the booth. Nny looked at Smee and Anna, both who had wetted eyes, but no tears, "Dry your eyes, will you? It's not like I'm dying or anything, jeeze." Nny was putting on a hard façade trying not to show how this affected her as well. "Anyway, so here are the plans to everything." Nny put a small stack of papers on the table. "Just go through them, tell everyone everything, and make sure everything gets done. It's not hard, it's rather easy. M-chan'll help you, Satine will help you, hell, even Tin can help you. A'right?"

"You can't leave, Nny! Not before this show! It could be your _true_ farewell party!" Smee begged. Nny shook her head, scowling deeply.

"No! I'm leaving in a few days, it can't be helped!" Nny snapped. Smee backed a bit, obviously hurt by Nny's sudden outburst, Nny never raised her voice or yelled at Smee. Nny got up, "I have to go."

Nny nodded to the others and they filed out with her, and they drove back home. Nny got out of the car and went into her house, everyone else stayed outside, with each other.

"Nny's taking this worse than any of us," M-chan noted. "She probably wants to end everything right now so it'll be 'easier' for her to leave."

"I don't think it makes it easier to leave on," Christian said. They looked at him. "Well, I mean, if she leaves with most everyone that she cherishes questioning their friendship, I don't think she would sleep easy, I know I wouldn't."

Satine nodded, "Yeah, I agree."

M-chan nodded. She then walked back to her own place to be alone. Satine and Christian stood there for a while, and then Christian asked, "Do you want to go back to my house?"

"Sure." And they walked off to Christian's house.

~~

A few days later, they were finally at the airport, Satine, M-chan, Smee, Anna and Christian were at the airport saying their final good-byes to Nny.

"We'll miss you a lot, Nny," Satine sobbed as she gave Nny a hug, and for once Nny didn't pull away.  "You're a great friend."

"Thanks," Nny said. "Sorry to leave, girls and guy, but y'know…brother and military, it sucks."

"I'm going to be mad at the military for a while," M-chan said. "And your brother for joining it!"

"That's alright, so will I, but don't be mad at my bro, we needed a way to live, y'know," Nny said. M-chan nodded and they shook hands.

Nny turned to Smee and was immediately choked in a hug. Smee sobbed a bit, "I can't believe you're leaving me! Nny!!"

"Smee…I'll be leaving quite sooner if you don't…let go," Nny choked. Smee loosened her grip but still hugged Nny. "Yeah, yeah, and Smee, sorry to have snapped at you a few days ago. I don't want leave you on a bad level of friendship."

"It's alright, I understand," Smee said when she finally let go and wiped her eyes, her eyeliner smudged a little. Nny smiled a nodded. She turned to Christian and shook his head.

"'twas nice to know you for the short time I did. You take good care of Satine alright?" Nny said. Christian nodded. "If I hear any complaints I'll come back here and beat the shit outta you."

"Alright," Christian laughed a little. He marked down to beat up Joseph, not wanting Nny to get to him before he did.

"Nny, let's go," Davey said. Nny nodded and said a final good bye to everyone and after she was past security, she turned around and yelled:

"I'm Bi, just to answer your question!" 

"What question?" Christian asked. Smee hit the ground.

~~

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ZIDLER?!" Anna yelled as they were doing another dress rehearsal for the show. Zidler was acting like it was an auction on the women. 

"I'm just, putting a little more uh…jazz in it?" Zidler said nervously.

"IF NNY WERE HERE SHE WOULD FUCKING KILL YOU!! _I_ SHOULD FUCKING KILL YOU!" Anna yelled. M-chan rushed up.

"What's going on?" M-chan asked.

"Zidler's acting like this is some fucking whore house!" Anna nearly yelled.

"Zidler, tone that down, you moron! This is a party, not a whore house!" M-chan snapped. "Where's Nny when you need her? She'd have your head for this!"

"Enough about her, she's gone!" Zidler said. M-chan immediately punched him in the face. 

"Finally you shut-up."

"Anna, Melissa, we have a problem!" Lizzy said as she walked up. They turned to her, not looking happy. "Okay, half the lights aren't working, most of the guys are being lazy, and we don't have enough rope! I don't know what happened, there was rope, more than enough, now we barely have enough to keep the props up, we definitely don't have enough for the swing Satine comes in on!"

"Alright, here's what we'll do, we'll buy more rope, we'll just do more fancy light tricks, and get smoke machines or something," M-chan said. "Anna, you continue with the music, Lizzy, you buy some more rope right now, I'll take over for you, and here's some money to buy more rope. ALI-CHAN!"

Ali-chan, once happy on a natural high, walked up smelling like weed, and asked, "yeah?"

"Do you have any money?" M-chan was getting annoyed. Everything was going astray.

"No."

"Don't lie."

"Yes."

"Do you think you could donate?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I have things to buy."

"If Nny knew you were smoking weed, I think she'd be very disappointed. If you don't donate, I will tell her."

"Okay, okay!" Ali-chan said and handed over three twenties. "Is that enough?"

"Yes. You can go now."

Ali-chan walked off. M-chan shook her head and gave Lizzy the money. "If you're not back by an hour I'm going to go look for you."

"Alright," Lizzy said.

"And I'll take away your hatchet!"

"Half an hour is all I need!" Lizzy said not wanting her hatchet to be taken away she left. M-chan walked off mumbling at the annoyance and stress of everything.

"She made it look so easy…" M-chan muttered.

In Satine's dressing room, Satine wasn't exactly on task either, nor was Christian. Do you know what they were doing? Take a guess…well you guessed wrong! They were facing someone they had forgotten about (OMD, did you think they were making out? You're so kinky!)

"Listen, bitch, you're my girl, you go with me!" Joseph hissed. Christian stood in front of Satine, glaring at Joseph.

"Back off, Joseph," Christian said threateningly.

"You fuck off, James, you're not apart of this!" Joseph said. "At least you won't be."

Joseph pulled out a knife, Satine gasped. Christian held his ground. "So you're so weak you need a knife to fight?"

"Shut the fuck up!" Joseph said. 

Christian got into a fighting stance, "Make me!"

"Christian be careful," Satine whispered. Christian nodded.

"Gladly!" Joseph lunged forward with the knife, Christian moved to the  side and hit the knife out of Joseph's hand. He grabbed the knife and slashed up Joseph's face. His eyes widened in shock as no blood came back and Joseph stumbled back. He held his face together, but ultimately the skin peeled away, and the ugly face of an old man came forth.

"OH MY GOD!" Christian yelled. "Mr. Duke!"

"I should've known," Satine said. "This is so clichéd…"

"Fuck!" Mr. Duke spat. He tried to escape but was met by M-chan, Anna and Smee before him.

"What the hell?" M-chan asked.

"Shit!" Mr. Duke spat.

"Call the cops!" Christian yelled. Smee took out her cell phone, Mr. Duke tried to stop her, but M-chan and Anna knocked him out.

Christian turned to Satine, "That night, when Joseph tried to get to you, did he do anything more than just try to get you to have sex with him?"

"He…he didn't do anything more than strip me down forcefully, I knocked him out in the last minute," Satine said. "It wasn't a real rape, they can't do anything can they?"

"Attemptive rape," M-chan said. "He'll be put away for a while. Then probably forced to live away from you and such."

Christian hugged Satine. "It's all over now."

~~End Chapter~~

Okay, not done totally, but hey, I'm getting on to ending it at the show! Alright? See ya laters.

~Jester


	8. Chapter Eight: Fell into Fantasy

**High School Life**

Disclaimer: Blah blah..y'know the drill here folks, move along, WITHOUT the lawyers, thanks.

MWAHAHAHAHAHA. Here it is! The LAST chapter of HSL! Yes, THE PARTY!! Dun dun dun…what'll happen? We shall see!

~~Begin Chapter~~

M-chan sighed to herself in relief, at last, it was finished, Mr. Duke got put away, Satine and Christian were happy together, and Anna had got a boyfriend two days earlier. It was quite random really, Jacob was filing the CDs, Anna helping him, ranting about how she was still keeping AFI for the good of the memory of Nny and that most people will be hearing AFI at the party, when suddenly Jacob just turned and kissed her. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and watched. Anna had gone weak in the knees and melted into Jacob's arms. Everyone wooped and cheered and the next minute they had more work to do since they knocked over the CDs.

M-chan chuckled to herself, too bad Anna wasn't here now to see the result of their hard work on the show. Too bad Nny wasn't here either…M-chan sighed again and sat down in the top seat in the top box with just a few people around her, just as Nny would've been. M-chan sat in Nny's seat, not really sure if it was right to do, even though Nny wasn't there, the mere memory of her was. Christian sat to M-chan's right, and Smee to her left. 

"Do you think Satine'll be alright?" Christian asked for the umpteenth time that night. 

"Yes, she'll be just fine," M-chan said; straining to keep her patience with the worry worm.  "She's done this before, everything'll be alright, Tin, just calm down."

"Oh my God!" Smee shrieked. M-chan turned and looked to where Smee pointed. "Look at Zidler! How the hell could he?"

"Oh for fuck's sake!" M-chan cursed. "LIZZY!"

Lizzy walked into the room, "What?"

"You get to have fun with your hatchet tonight, Liz," M-chan said. Lizzy grinned, twisting her beautiful face into a beautiful but equally daunting evil smile. M-chan pointed to Zidler who was acting like an auctioneer and pointing a boys who held up their hands, shouting out numbers, and he shoved women towards them. "Hurt, mangle, do anything but kill, when Nny hears about this, it'll be a sin for anyone but she to kill him."

Lizzy nodded eagerly and took her hatchet from the table and walked off chanting lightly, "Lizzy Borden took an axe, gave Harold Zidler forty wacks, when she saw what she'd done, she gave Mr. Duke forty one…hehehehehe."

M-chan looked over the party, wondering how Nny had kept tabs on everything the last few years. She looked down over the crowd of moshers and punks and stoners and jocks who all crowded in the court, beer cups thrown about, cigarette smoke everywhere. Women dancing, men dancing, it was a party that some people couldn't believe was done by Nny. 

"Smee, what's that?" M-chan asked Smee as she pointed to a large thing coming out of the crowd.

Smee shrugged, "I have no idea, we should check it out."

M-chan shook her head, "I'll stay up here and watch over everything, you can check it out with Tin."

"Alright, c'mon Tin," Smee said. Christian got up and followed Smee down to the large moshing crowd. Smee turned to Christian and yelled loud enough to be heard over the loud Sum 41 song going on, "Whatever you do, don't fall!"

Christian nodded and followed Smee into the mosh pit and they found what was coming out of the crowd. It was a large leather sheet being blown up, but the people under it were suffocating. Smee turned to Christian, "Go get help now!"

Christian nodded and pushed his way back from the crowd as Smee worked to get people out from under the leather. 

Christian ran up to M-chan's box, panting, he told M-chan what was going on, and she called up a few numbers Nny had left her in case of an emergency. A regent of soldiers appeared at The Pit just a few minutes later, they ran to the mosh pit, getting everything in order, amazingly, the party continued on like nothing was happening. M-chan realized Nny's secret then…connections.

M-chan sighed in relief as she found out from the captain of the regent, that there were few minor injuries and no one had anything that would require hospitalization. "Alright, thanks, Cap'n, just keep an eye out for trouble now, thanks again."

"Aye aye, miss," The captain saluted and walked off. M-chan looked over the crowd again, just scanning for anything strange. Then she realized that Zidler was no where to be found, and it seemed to be that Lizzy was still searching for him. M-chan called up a soldier.

"Hey, you, go down there and get that girl with the hatchet before she hacks up half the crowd, bring her up to me, careful with her, she's quite dangerous," M-chan ordered. The soldier saluted and jogged off to do as he was told. A minute later, Lizzy was hauled into M-chan's box, M-chan dismissed the soldier and took Lizzy's hatchet. She asked, "Where's Zidler? Did you take care of him?"

"I don't know where Zidler is," Lizzy said, not looking up. "I couldn't find him, I got into the crowd and all of a sudden, he wasn't there anymore. I don't know where he is…"

"Shit, we have to find that asshole!" M-chan said. "We have to find him now, I want a count on all the dancers right now! Soldier, get back here, and bring your captain!"

Lizzy walked off to find a count of all the dancers working, and the Captain and a soldier walked into the Box. "Yes, miss?"

"There's a man missing, you should know what he looks like, the name Zidler sound familiar?" M-chan asked. They nodded. "Good, do you know what he looks like?" they nodded again. "Excellent, find him! He's done some bad shit tonight, and he has to be punished, if not by Nny's hand then by mine!"

"Aye, Aye, miss, he'll be found!" The captain and soldier saluted and marched off. M-chan turned back to face the party, scanning the crowd again. She glanced at her watch, it was ten, and karaoke was at ten thirty. It was time to set up the stand, she turned to another soldier walking by. 

"You there, could you tell Smee to get the Karaoke stand ready?" M-chan asked. The soldier nodded, saluted and marched off. M-chan once again turned to the Party. She was getting the hang of this. Just then Christian walked into the box.

"Have you seen Satine? I can't find her!" Christian said, worry quite evident in his voice. M-chan turned to him, eyes wide.

"What do you mean you can't find her? Is she in her dressing room?"

"No, her door was broken down! I don't know where she is, M-chan, I'm scared. What if something bad has happened? I wasn't there to protect her! God, it's all my fault!" Christian hit his head in the door. M-chan sighed and grabbed Christian and pushed him into the hall.

"Don't stand there hitting yourself for something that isn't your fault and feeling at sorry for yourself! Go out and FIND HER! YOU MORON!" M-chan said. "Let's go, we'll find her together, hurry up! If something bad has happened, it'll be hell to pay, I swear!"

They walked down the hall hurriedly, M-chan started to think of any possible reasons for this to be occurring. She thought a while, and then decided to go check on Lizzy with the count, luckily Lizzy just walked up. She called to M-chan, "M-chan! There are ten dancers missing, and…Satine's gone too!"

"So I heard," M-chan said. "I have a feeling that Zidler is behind this…you there!" M-chan grabbed a soldier walked by. "Go tell everyone in your regent here to keep a look out for Harold Zidler! He's in a deep, deep shit now. If you find him, call your Captain or me and inform us at once! Clear?"

"Aye, Aye, miss!" the soldier saluted and marched off. 

M-chan grabbed Lizzy and dragged her along, "You're coming with me! Do you know where Smee is?"

"I haven't seen her ever since she went into the crowd," Lizzy said. 

"Tin, have you seen Smee?"

"No, sorry," Christian said. M-chan sighed angrily and stomped off.

"This is the worst party ever!" 

~~

Smee followed the crowd of dancers, lead by Zidler, at a reasonable distance. Far enough to not be noticed, close enough to know what they were saying and doing. They were going into the deeper parts of the Pit, the parts that were lesser known, reaching in tunnels under ground. Finally Zidler stopped in the middle of the hall, using his cane to tap at bricks, finally finding a hollow sound.

He laughed, "This is it, girls! Follow Daddy to the ultimate place of money and happiness! Make sure Satine doesn't get out! Follow me."

Zidler kicked through the bricks, creating a hole that lead to an unknown tunnel. Smee was amazed to see it, and followed them into the hole, still being silent and still at a reasonable distance. 

~~

M-chan marched up and down the halls, looking in everyroom, disrupting a few make out sessions between people, and other things she just didn't want to see at the time. She pushed open two doors to a hall she had never been in before.

"Let's go," M-chan said jerking Christian and Lizzy along. They followed closely, looking in each room as M-chan marched down. She came into another hall and smelled the moisture in the air from water, a familiar scent that one easily picked up in a desert. She looked down the hall and saw some dirt on the near spotless floor. She called to the others, "Get over here now!"

They hurried to her side. They saw the dirt, then the hole. M-chan went in, Christian followed and Lizzy was hesitant, but a quick glare from M-chan and Lizzy followed. 

"Have you been here before?" Lizzy asked.

"Shut up! And no, I haven't, be quiet now…if they're down here I don't want to give away the fact we're here," M-chan whispered. They nodded and followed as silently as possible as M-chan crawled through a thin hole. She heard the faint cheering of people and laughter, drunken laughter.

~~

"Welcome to the Desert Underground, literal underground, ladies!" Zidler  said jovially. There, in a huge pit under the ground, was a large crowd of boys and girls, men and women, drunk, stoned, and lust-filled. Satine looked horrified at it all, the other girls were quick to become at home with the place. Zidler laughed and set Satine aside to talk to. "You, my little puppet, will be the main attraction now! Finally getting that stupid Duke out of the way…what a façade I had to put up to cover it all…but it seems that Anna and M-chan tried to get to the real me, but they never will. No one will know. No one will see you again…especially now that Nny is gone, all threats to my well-being are completely gone! Welcome to the DU, Satine the Sparkling Diamond!"

Satine glared at Zidler, trying to break the roped and tape that binded her hands and feet together.

Smee was appalled by the whole scene, people ran around, drunk, nude, laughing, needles coming from their arms. She couldn't believe there was a place like this. She looked around, trying to find Zidler and Satine. Finally spotting them at a corner booth, Smee walked in, trying to keep hidden from Zidler. She heard the whole conversation Zidler had with Satine…well, talk anyway. She quickly turned away as Zidler got up and left to the balcony.

Smee slipped into the booth immediately, "Satine! Are you alright? Oh, stupid question but they didn't do anything to you did they?"

Satine shook her head, tears at her eyes. Smee leaned across the table and took out the gag in Satine's mouth. "Don't worry, Satine. By the name of God, I'll get you out of here!"

"Not so fast," Zidler's voice creeped over Smee's shoulders like a snake, a slimy digusting snake that sent shivers down her spine. Zidler's large hands grabbed Smee's shoulders and pulled her out of the booth. "Soo…a volunteer for new work eh? Wonderful! Wonderful!"

"Zidler, you stop right there!" M-chan yelled. Zidler turned, seeing M-chan standing out of the crowd, glaring at Zidler.

"M-chan, what a surprise to see you here," Zidler said. "But there's nothing you can do to stop me now. You might as well be considered gone as well!"

"There's still a large threat to your well-being, Zidler," Smee said. "As long as Nny lives, and we live, you will never be safe after tonight."

"That threat means nothing to me," Zidler hissed. "Nny is dead!"

They paused. Smee said, "You lie!"

"I don't lie! Haven't you seen the news? They didn't tell you? Why do you think Anna isn't here? She's mourning the Jewish way over Nny's death! Sorry to say, but her plane crashed, no survivors." Zidler held up a newspaper with the headlines. Smee gaped, now wishing she did pay attention to the news. Zidler laughed, "Hahaha, she's dead! She's dead!"

"Not yet, she isn't!" Some one yelled. Zidler paled, recognizing the voice he turned to the entrance he had come in from to see Nny standing there with the Captain and a regiment of soldiers. 

"N-nny, what a surprise to see you here….alive…and well…" Zidler stuttered. Nny smirked.

"Hella."

"How? You were dead! It was all over the news!"

"Hella kick ass, no? Haha, uh, they did a huge misprint…my flight was just a number off from the real flight that crashed. Sorry," Nny laughed. "I'm back, just for a while, I convinced Davey to let me come back for my own party."  
  


"How did you know about this place?"

"Actually, I had heard about it in ninth grade, the lure of this 'D.U.' I heard a rumor that the runner of the Desert Underground was in La Cueva, that's why I started the whole Moulin Rouge-themed parties. So I could lure that man or woman out. I didn't tell anyone about it, but I heard my brother say that this place was being looked for because of all the laws it infringes…really…Jeebus…Anyway, so there you go. The story behind the parties."

"How did you find it?"

"Thanks to Christian James," Nny brought Christian forward and patted him on the back. "Apparently, your prescence was missed at the party upstairs, M-chan, Lizzy and Christian looked for you and Satine, who was also missing. Smee seemed to have followed you to. Well, Christian was sent back for help, and I was talking to the Captain, looking for Satine, M-chan and the rest when Christian came up. Yup, I followed and now, we have you."

Christian rushed towards Satine. The crowd was silent now, looking at Nny and the Captain. Christian hugged Satine close to him as he untied the bonds that held her. 

"I'm so sorry, Satine, I should've been there," Christian said. Satine shook her head.

"It's all right, Chris, I'm fine," she said. Christian hugged her. 

"I won't let them take you again."

It was then Satine felt the ultimate security in Christian's arms. 

Nny walked over to Zidler, "I'll deal with you later. Cuff him."

A soldier walked up and cuffed Zidler and tied him to the wall. Nny pointed to the crowd and told the soldiers to get them all. The crowd screamed and tried to hurry away, but they were too drunk to take two steps backwards. The D.U. was over. The soldiers quickly took away all of the party goers and left The Pit.

Nny untied Zidler from the wall and dragged him up to the pit, her friends following. Nny locked him in a storage room, turning to her friends, she said, "He'll stay there for a long time. This party won't be over until I say it is. Now let's go."

They walked back up to the Pit and Nny stood in her box, over looking the party. The mosh pit at gathered around the karaoke stage. 

"Satine, do you still want to perform?" Nny asked.

"Well, not really," Satine muttered. Nny shrugged.

"No problem, that's fine with me." Nny walked out of the room and down to the mosh pit. She pushed her way through onto the stage, quickly kicking off the current singer, who was just slurring drunkenly. She tapped the microphone before she walked up center stage, strapping a guitar around her shoulder, he put the microphone in the stand and said, "This is from AFI, I hope my plan'll work now…"

Nny started playing the guitar and sing.

"Whoa! Whoa! 

Hear one thousand screams.

Hear one thousand voices.

A solitary echo.

Feel one thousand pains,

But one is receiving a bloody invitation."

Smee ran down the stairs, jumping on stage she sat behind the drums and started playing along. Nny smiled as she continued, Smee helping in background vocals.

"Do you want to feel the warmth?

To taste the life, to taste the life

Do you want taste the life?

To taste the life, to taste the life flow?

Go, Go"

M-chan got on stage and grabbed the bass guitar and played along, also offering background vocals.

"Feel one thousand lost,

sinking into soft skin.

Ingest rejuvenation.

One to consume,

One to renew.

Demanded invitation.

Do you want to feel the warmth?

To taste the life, to taste the life

Do you want taste the life?

To taste the life, to taste the life flow?"

Satine got on stage, taking the microphone, she sang the rest of the song, Nny playing on guitar and singing background along with her friends. Christian stood off to the side, laughing and singing along, moshing like all the rest.

"I offer grace,

I offer blood.

I offer everything till my heart is crystal clear.

I offer grace,

I offer blood.

I offer everything till my heart is crystal clear.

Let me taste the life flow.

Do you want to feel the warmth?

To taste the life, to taste the life

I want to taste the life.

To taste the life, to taste the life flow.

Go, Go, Woah, Go."

Nny walked up to her microphone and said, "Alright, this next song, it's a song called _Dancing Through Sunday_, also by AFI."

Smee counted off and they started playing, Nny opening with a blazing guitar solo, then Satine opened up with amazing vocals that didn't seem to suit her because they were so…well rockin' like Davey Havok. *a-hem*

"Will you join me in this dance, this dance of misery

Cradled in imposs... impossibility?

Swooning, I am swept away

Swept off my feet, with step by step by step

We take the lead as drop by drop, we start... to bleed

(Oh, we dance in misery)

And we dance on, and we dance on

(Oh, we dance in misery)

All lost in the arms of our misery, oh

(Oh, we dance in misery)

And we dance on, and we dance on

Swept off our feet by our misery, we're swept into the shadows

Will you lend yourself to beauty that will horrify?

Let me hide within your black, the still inside your eyes

Deafened, caught within a cry

So sensual, as step by step by step, I seperate

As breath to breath, as I... suffocate

(Oh, we dance in misery)

And we dance on, and we dance on

(Oh, we dance in misery)

All lost in the arms of our misery, oh

(Oh, we dance in misery)

And we dance on, and we dance on

Swept off our feet by our misery, we're swept into the shadows

So who will follow? Who is the lead?

I know I'll leave a stain, because I bleed

As we dance, we all dance

We all... have no chance in this horrid romance

kick ass Jade-guitar solo inserted here

(Oh, we dance in misery)

And we dance on, and we dance on

(Oh, we dance in misery)

All lost in the arms of our misery, oh

(Oh, we dance in misery)

And we dance on, and we dance on

Swept off our feet by our misery, we're swept into the shadows

Swept off our feet by our misery, we're swept into the shadows."

Everyone cheered. Smee, M-chan and Nny left the stage, as Satine introduced the next band. "This band is a local band from El Dorado High School, give it up for the Lost Boys!"

Everyone cheered as three high school kids got on stage, the lead singer was Hispanic, with spikey dark orange hair and many piercings and tattoos. The other two were white boys with some piercing and no tattoos but looking very punk. The two white boys took the bass and drums, as the lead took the lead guitar.

"Hey, lissen up everyone, we're The Lost Boys, we're not as good as playing AFI, but we'll do some of our shit right here. I'm Jeremy, the bassist is Jack, and the Drummer is Josh, I hope you like our songs, we'll be playing three songs, uh _Lost in_, _Dreams Sin, and __Reckless Shit."_

Nny walked back up to her box, with her friends. Satine sat to her right, M-chan to her left. 

"Nny, that was awesome, just getting up there and playing," Christian commented. "Satine you did wonderfully."

Christian hugged Satine, she blushed and said, "Thanks."

Nny smirked, "Aye, that was just on whim too."

"You liar," M-chan snorted. Nny laughed.

"Okay…so I planned that…"

"YOU'RE BACK!! YAY!!" Smee nearly suffocated Nny in a hug. "Are you staying?"

"Uh..sadly no," Nny said. "My brother just let me stay here for a while, like…two hours."

"What? What is up with that?"

"Uh…I dunno…"

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"…"

"…"

There was silence. Then suddenly the busted open, and an angry Zidler walked in. Nny rolled her eyes.

"You bitch, you sniding, stupid bitch, locking me up in a closet!" Zidler yelled. Suddenly he bent in half and fell down holding his crotch. Satine put her shoe back on and proceeded to kick the living daylights out of Zidler. Nny looked on, laughing a little.

"I hate you, I hate you!" Satine yelled. 

"That reminds me of an AFI song…" Nny mused. M-chan snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Everything reminds you of an AFI song," M-chan commented.

"True."

"YOU STUPID ASSHOLE! I'm GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!" Satine screeched.

"Reminds me of an AFI music vid…" Nny mused again.

"What doesn't remind you of AFI?" M-chan asked. Nny shrugged.

"YOU'RE GOING TO BE HUMILIATED IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, BEFORE I SLOWLY KILL YOU!"

"Hmm…that keeps reminding me-"

"Of _Love is a many splendored thing_ by AFI?" M-chan finished Nny's statement. Nny grinned and nodded. "Might as well play it…"

"That's a great idea!" Nny said. She ran out of the box. "FOLLOW ME! Bring Zidler."

They nodded and dragged Zidler with them as they followed Nny to the stage once again. 

"Sorry for the interruption, but we have another song to play," Nny said. She grabbed Zidler and tied him to a rope and flung him out to the crowd. "This guy promotes prostitution of your sisters and mothers! Look at that! He kicked one of you! GET HIM!"

At that instant, the crowd reached up for Zidler who was slinging around in the rope from the rafters, ready to tear him to shreads. Nny turned to the others, "_Love is a many splendored thing_."

Satine started out with a loud yell, and went on to singing the song that didn't fit the title.

"Ah!

You think you've got the looks,

you think you've got the fashion.

You thought you'd have me wanting more,

but don't like my reaction.

You think you're really something.

You're nothing to me now.

You thought you'd keep me coming

without ever thinking how.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

You think you're really special.

You think I think you're best.

You think you're really something?

You're no better than the rest.

You've got everything you wanted.

Don't let yourself be fooled.

You thought that you could play the game,

but I just changed the rules.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

you!

Why do I hate you.

You think you've got the looks,

you think you've got the fashion.

You thought you'd have me wanting more,

but don't like my reaction.

You think you're really something.

You're nothing to me now.

You thought you'd keep me coming

without ever thinking how.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you.

I hate you."

They stopped suddenly, and walked off stage, letting the Lost Boys continue. By the time they were off stage, Zidler was lost in the Most Pit.

After that, the party went smoothly, everything going according to plan, performances from live local bands, performances on karaoke, break dancing, a few fights to settle, but everything was going great. Then, Nny and the others walked back on stage.

"There's one last song we're going to sing, a farewell song for me," Nny said. "And the last song for the night before you all have to leave. Alright, this is called _Days of the Phoenix_, by, you guessed it, AFI."

Nny started on the guitar, everyone else playing along, for a while when Nny stopped, letting Satine sing, drums and bass continuing. 

"I remember when I was told of story of crushed velvet,

candle wax, and dried up flowers

The figure on the bed all dressed up in roses, calling

Beckoning to sleep,

Offering a dream"

Christian ran on stage, he knew this song. He looked to the others to see if he could sing along, they merely nodded, and Satine gave him a microphone and she backed out standing to the side as Christian continued on with the song.

"The words were as mystical as purring animals

The circle of rage

The ghosts on the stage appeared

The time was so tangible, I'll never let it go

Ghost stories handed down, reached secret tunnels below

No one could see me

I fell into yesterday

Our dreams seemed not far away

I want to, I want to, I want to stay

I fell into fantasy

The words were as mystical as purring animals

The circle of rage

The ghosts on the stage appeared

The time was so tangible, I'll never let it go

Ghost stories handed down, reached secret tunnels below

No one could see me

I fell into yesterday.

Our dreams seemed not far away

I want to, I want to, I want to stay.

I fell into fantasy"

Nny stopped Christian here, continuing with this small part.

"The girl on the wall always waited for me,

And she was always smiling

The teenage death boys

The teenage death girls

And everyone was dancing

Nothing could touch us then

No one could change us then

Everyone was dancing

Nothing could hurt us then

No one could see us then

Everyone was dancing

Everyone was dancing"

The Nny backed off as Christian continued.

"No one could see me

I fell into yesterday

Our dreams seemed not far away

I want to, I want to, I want to stay

I fell into fantasy

Our dreams seemed not far away

Our dreams seemed not far away

Our dreams seemed not far away

I fell into fantasy"

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd, and Nny took the mic. 

"Alright, now get out of here, MOVE IT! There's public transportation waiting for you outside, hopefully you did as the flyers said and took the bus or a taxi here! DON'T DRIVE DRUNK, you morons! NO FUCK OFF!"

Everyone laughed as they poured out of The Pit, smelling hard of liquor and weed. The final party of the season was over, and it was one to remember.

Nny left soon after to catch the plane back, and  her four friends drove home.

Christian drove Satine to his house, his parents still gone, he lead her upstairs where they talked for hours and comforted each other from the happenings of the long day they had.

~~End Chapter~~

**End Story**

Yeah that new plot twist just stuck up it may not be all too good. But hey, I've wanted to finish this a while, and now it's done! Yay!

Okay, please review, thanks.

~Jester


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